:TTi:i'iminiiii.:;i. 


ASSOCIATION  HAND  BOOK. 


rs 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


BV    1090    .N5    1892 

A  Hand-book  of   the   history 
sAei      organization,    and  methods 


A  HAND-BOOK 


HISTORY,    ORGANIZATION, 


METHODS  OF  WORK 


ioMi  lea's  Ctirlslian  Associalioas. 


EDITED    BY 


H.  S.  NINDE,  J.  T.  BOWNE,  and  ERSKINE  UHL. 


The  International  Committee  of  Young  Men-s  Christian  Asbociations, 
no.  40  east  twenty-third  street, 

NEW   YORK. 


1892 


COPYRIGHT,    1881,    BY 

THE     INTERNATIONAL    COMMITTEE 

OF   YOUNQ   MEN'S   CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATIONS. 


PREFACE. 


The  demand  for  a  course  of  study  regarding  the  work  of 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  led  to  the  prepara- 
tion of  an  '* Outline  of  Study"  by  the  International  Com- 
mittee in  1881.  During  the  next  live  years  this  passed 
through  seven  editions,  each  of  which  was  revised  and 
enlarged. 

In  1885  the  opening  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation Training  School,  at  Springfield,  Mass.,  occasioned 
an  immediate  demand  for  a  text  book  covering  the  history, 
organization,  and  methods  of  Association  work,  upon  some 
phases  of  which  there  was  no  printed  information. 

No  sooner  was  it  proposed  to  undertake  such  a  work 
than  inquiries  were  made  concerning  it  by  several  classes 
of  young  men,  whose  needs  have  been  kept  in  mind  in  its 
preparation. 

1. — Students  in  the  Training  School,  and  others  who  are 
not  able  to  attend  it  but  desire  to  prepare  for  the  secretary- 
ship as  best  they  may  at  home. 

2. — Young  men  engaged  in  professional  or  business  life, 
and  students  in  colleges,  who  are  investigating  the  work 
with  a  view  to  entering  it. 

3. — Men  already  engaged  in  the  work  who  have  had 
little  or  no  opportunity  for  systematic  preparation,  but 
who  are  eagerly  seeking  it. 

4. — Leaders  of  training  classes  who  desire  to  use  portions 


IV  PREFACE. 

of  such  a  book  in  their  classes  with  a  view  to  developing 
men  for  the  work. 

5. — Secretaries  who  would  use  it  in  giving  information 
to  directors  or  committee  men  regarding  certain  lines  of 
work. 

Being  written  from  this  standpoint,  the  book  contains 
much  that  is  already  familiar  to  the  experienced  Associa- 
tion worker. 

The  average  Association,  with  a  general  secretary  and 
owning  or  expecting  to  own  a  building  adapted  to  its 
tvork,  has  been  kept  in  view  throughout  the  book,  but  sug- 
gestions are  also  offered  bearing  upon  the  work  of  the 
larger  and  smaller  Associations. 

Little  claim  is  made  to  originality.  Every  available 
source  of  information  has  been  drawn  upon.  To  any  who 
may  recognize  in  the  text  their  own  thoughts  as  expressed 
elsewhere,  hearty  thanks  are  tendered.  The  courtesy  with 
which  numerous  letters  of  inquiry  have  been  answered  and 
local  documents  furnished  is  also  acknowledged.  The 
publications  of  the  International  Committee  and  "The 
Watchman,"  now  the  "Young  Men's  Era,"  have  been 
largely  drawn  upon.  In  this  mass  of  material  great 
diversity  of  views  was  found  regarding  methods  of  work. 
Those  suggested  in  the  book  have  usually  been  practically 
tested.  The  text  is  believed  to  be  in  harmony  with  the 
deliverances  of  the  International  Conventions. 

Portions  of  the  original  text  were  read  by  Cephas 
Brainerd,  B.  C.  Wetmore,  R.  R.  McBurney,  Richard  C. 
Morse,  P.  Augustus  Wieting,  I.  E.  Brown,  R.  M.  Arm- 
strong, David  McConaughy,  Jr.,  Robert  A.  Orr,  D.  A. 
Budge,  W.  H.  Morriss,  Edwin  F.  See,  and  others,  all  of 
whom  offered  valuable  suggestions.  These  have  generally 
been  incorporated  into  the  book.  Similar  help  has  been 
given  by  a  number  of  physical  directors  in  criticising 
chapter  25.  Much  of  the  book  has  been  used  in  manu- 
script in  the  Training  Schools  at  Springfield  and  Chicago. 


PREFACE.  V 

A  volume  treating  of  the  subjects  contained  in  the  first 
seventeen  chapters  of  this  book  was  published  in  1888,  with 
the  hope  that  it  might  be  followed  within  a  year  by 
another.  But  the  editors  and  the  friends  upon  whose 
counsel  they  relied  were  all  busy  men  in  other  directions, 
much  comparison  of  views  was  necessary,  and  it  was  im- 
possible to  prepare  the  latter  part  of  the  work  for  the 
press  until  the  entire  edition  of  the  first  volume  was 
exhausted.  As  various  changes  were  then  found  to  be 
desirable  in  the  matter  already  printed,  it  was  thought 
best  to  revise  it  and  to  issue  the  whole  work  in  the  present 
single  volume.  The  changes  just  alluded  to  are  usually 
in  the  line  of  explanation  or  expansion,  and  not  of 
variation  from  the  views  formerly  expressed. 

It  was  deemed  best  to  print  a  limited  edition  of  the 
former  book.  An  increase  in  the  size  of  the  present 
edition  renders  possible  a  reduction  in  price. 

The  statistics  given  regarding  the  Associations  are  for 
the  year  1890. 

The  term  '' International  pamphlets,"  as  used  here 
(abbreviated  to  Int,  pphs.),  refers  to  the  publications  on 
sale  at  the  office  of  the  International  Committee,  40  East 
23d  Street,  New  York  City,  a  list  of  which  will  be  sent  on 
application. 

If  any  young  man  who  is  inquiring  how  he  may  assist 
his  fellows  to  a  nobler  Christian  manhood  shall  be  helped 
by  the  study  of  the  following  pages,  this  work  will  have 
served  its  purpose. 

October  1,  1892. 


CONTENTS 


FIRST  DIVISION. 


THE  FIELD,    OBJECTS,   AND  HISTORY. 


Chap.  1.— The  Field  and  its  Limits. 

Sect.  A. — Why  this  work  is  needed 15 

"     B. — A  definite  work— for  and  by  young  men  IG 

*'     C— The  aim  distinctively  religious      ...  17 

"    D.— Relation  to  the  Church 18 

Chap.  2.— Summary  ob^  the  Work. 

Sect.  A. — A  general  statement 22 

"     B. — The  means  employed  in  cities  ....  33 

"     C. — The  means  employed  in  small  towns    .  34 
Chap.  3.— The  Rise  and  Growth  op  the  Associa- 
tions. 

Sect.  A. — Origin  of  the  present  movement    ...  36 

"     B. — Earlier  work  for  young  men      .     .     .     ,  30 
"     C. — Introduction  into  America,  and   work 

prior  to  the  civil  war 36 

"    D. — Army  work 40 

"    E.— Resumption  of  home  work 41 

"    F. — Development  of  the  work 46 

^       "    G.— Loyalty  to  the  Church 61 


SECOND  DIVISION. 


THE  ORGANIZATION  AND  ITS  HOME. 

Chap.  4.— Organization. 

Sect.  A. — When  and  how  to  organize 66 

"      B.— Practical  hints 69 


Vlll  COXTFJNTS. 

Chap.  5.— Tj'e  Constitutiox. 

Sect.  A. — General  considerations 71 

"     B.  — A  suggestive  outline 72 

Chap.  6.— Branches  and  Sub-Organizations. 

Sect.  A. — Branches 76 

"     B. — Sub-organizations 79 

Chap.  7.— The  Management. 

Sect.  A. — The  directors 81 

"     B.— The  officers 87 

Chap.  8.— Standing  Committees. 

Sect.  A.— Importance,  enlistment   and    composi- 
tion      90 

"     B. — How   to    organize    a    committee  ;    the 

chairman,  etc 93 

"     C— Principles  and  methods  of  construction  96 

Diagram  of  plan  of  organization    ...  99 

"     D. — Names  and  duties 100 

Chap.  9.— Membership. 

Sect.  A. — Classes  of  membership 105 

"     B. — How  to  secure  members 106 

"     C. — The  membership  committee       ....  108 

"    D. — How  to  retain  members 110 

"    E. — Fees,  tickets,  records,  and  exchange  .     .  Ill 
"    F. — The  development  of  active  members      .  114 
"    G.— The  associate  membership  and  its  rela- 
tions    117 

"    H. — The  members*  meeting  or  reception  .     .  118 
Chap.  10.— The  General  Secretary. 

Sect.  A.— The  office  and  work 123 

"     B. — The  qualifications 125 

Chap.  11.— The  General  Secretary— His  Rela- 
tionships. ^ 

Sect.  A. — To  churches  and  pastors 131 

B. — To  officers, 'directors,  and  committees    .  133 

C— To  other  employes 136 

D.— To  the  members 138 

E.— To  the  religious  work 139 

F. — To  the  business  community 139 

G.— To  the  press 140 

H. — To  his  fellow  secretaries 141 

Chap.  12.— The  General  Secretary— Personal 

Hints 143 


contents.  ix 

Chap.  13.— Securing  and    Training    Employed 
Officers  of  the  Associations. 

Sect.  A. — Demand  and  supply 154 

''     B.  — Methods  of  training 155 

Chap.  14.— The  Association  Home. 

Sect.  A. — Advantages  of  owning  a  building     .     .  158 

"     B.— Location 161 

"     C. — Arrangement  and  construction      .     .     .  162 

"     D.— Equipment 174 

Chap.  15.— Care  op  the  Home. 

Sect.  A.— General  principles 176 

"     B. — Repairs  and  safety 177 

"     C. — Order  and  cleanliness 179 

Chap.  16.— How  to  get  a  Building. 

Sect.  A.— Preparatory  work 181 

"     B. — Plan  of  a  canvass 184 

''     C— Hints  and  cautions 190 

Chap.  17.— The  Building  Movement 193 


THIRD  DIVISION. 


METHODS    OF    WORK. 


Chap.  18.— Current  Finances. 

Sect.  A. — Ways  and  means 198 

"     B. — Collections  and  disbursements .     .     .     .  204 

"     C. — Financial  bookkeeping 206 

Chap.  19.— Real  Estate  and  Endowment  Funds. 

Sect.  A.— Incorporation 210 

"     B. -Trustees 211 

"     C— Endowment 214 

"     D. — Debt,  taxes,  insurance,  and  leases.     .     .  216 

Chap.  20.— Records  and  Public  Presentation  of 
THE  Work. 

Sect.  A. — Records  and  statistics 219 

*'     B. — Anniversaries 221 

"     C— The  parlor  conference 224 

*'     D.— Printed  matter 225 


x  contents. 

Chap.  21.— The  Bible  in  Association  Work. 

Sect.  A. — Individual  study,  objects,  methods,  and 

helps 22& 

"     B. — Class  study, 

1. — A  Bible  class  indispensable  .     .     .  335 

2. — Relation  of  the  general  secretary  335 
3.— Divisions  —  beginners',  advanced, 

and  training  classes 236 

4. — Time,  place,  and  appliances  ,     ,     .  237 

5.— The  teacher 338 

6.— The  class 238 

7.— The  topics 339 

8. — Preparing  the  lesson 240 

9. — Teaching  the  lesson 341 

10.— The  training  class 243 

"     C. — Practical  work  with  the  unconverted. 

1. — Personal  work 246 

3. — The  evangelistic  Bible  class  .     .     .  350 
3. — The  Bible  in  the  evangelistic  meet- 
ing      353 

'*    D. — Bible  readings 353 

Chap.  22.— Religious  meetings,  etc. 

Sect.  A. — The  young  men's  meeting 355 

"     B.— Other  meetings  at  the  rooms    ....  263 

''     C. — Religious  work  outside  the  rooms      ,     .  365 

Chap.  33. — The  Place  and  Value  of  the  Secular 

Departments 269 

Chap.  34.— The  Educational  Department. 

Sect.  A.— The  reading  room 373 

"     B.— The  library  . 379 

"     C— Educational  classes 389 

"    D. — Literary  societies 393 

"     E. — Lectures  and  talks 395 

r 

Chap.  35.— The  Physical  Department. 

Sect.  A.— The  aim  of  the  department 397 

"     B. — Conditions  necessary  to  success    .     .     .  803 

"     C— Scientific  equipment  and  methods     .     .  304 

"    D. — Practical  equipment  and  methods     .     .  311 

"     E.— The  religious  work 333 

"     F.— The  physical  director 335 

"    G. — The  department  committee 330 


contents.  xi 

Chap.  26.— The  Social  Department. 

Sect.  A.— The  reception  committee 340 

"     B.— The  social  rooms 343 

"     C. — Social  entertainments 345 

Chap.  27.— The  Information  and  Relief  Depart- 
ment. 

Sect.  A. — The  boarding  house  bureau 348 

"     B.— The  employment  bureau 351 

"     C. — The  savings  bureau  and  benefit  fund    .  352 

"    D.— Visiting  the  sick 353 

"     E. — Relieving  destitute  young  men  .     .     .     .  354 

Chap.  28.— The  Boys'  Department. 

Sect.  A.— Historical  items 356 

*'     B. — Necessity,  aim  and  benefits 357 

"     C. — Organization 359 

"     D.— Methods 361 

Chap.  29.— Work  for  Special  Classes. 

Sect.  A. — College  students 3G6 

B. — Railroad  men    .     .     .  ^ 371 

C. — Commercial  travellers 376 

D. — Mechanical  and  manufacturing  classes,  379 

E.— Other  races 381 

F. — Various  other  classes 383 

Chap.  30.— Women's  Work  for  YouNa  Men    .        .  387 


FOURTH  DIVISION. 


eENERAL  SUPERVISION  AND  EXTENSION. 


Chap.  31.— State  and  Provincial  Work. 

Sect.  A. — Growth  and  organization 391 

"     B.— The  State  Committee 395 

"     C— Finances 398 

''     D.— The  State  Secretary 400 

''     E.— The  State  Convention. 

1. — Preparatory  work,  by  the   State 

Committee 403 

2. — Preparatory  work,  local    ....  407 

3. — At  the  convention 411 


Xii  CONTENTS. 

Sect.  F.— The  district  work. 

1. — Method  of  organization,  the  com- 
mittee, etc 418 

2. — Conferences  and  visitation    .     ,     .  420 

S. — Corresponding  members  ....  423 

4. — The  county  work 425 

Sect.  G. — The  relation  of  the  local  Associations  to 

the  general  work 425 

Chap.  32.— The  American  International  Work. 

Sect.  A.— Growth  and  organization 428 

''     B.— The  field 430 

"     C— The  work. 

1. — Supervision  and  extension    .     .     .  431 

2. — Correspondence 431 

3.— Publications 431 

4. — Securing  and  training  secretaries  .  432 

5. — Aid  to  building  enterprises   .     .     .  432 

6. — Aid  in  securing  funds 432 

7.— Aid  to  state  and  other  conventions  433 

8.— Help  in  disaster 433 

9. — Secretaries  of  the  committee      .    .  434 

10. — Finances 435 

11. — The  International  Convention     .  436 

12. — The  day  and  week  of  prayer     .     .  438 

Chap.  33.— The  World's  Conferences  and  the 

Central  International  Committee      441 

Appendix,  containing  Fifty-eight  Samples  of 
Tickets,  Circulars,  Rules  for  Committees, 
Record  Books,  Report  Forms,  and  other 
Blanks 449 

Index 


YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION 
HAND-BOOK. 


FIRST  DIVISION, 
THE  FIELD,  OBJECTS,  AND  HISTORY, 


CHAPTER    1. 

THE    FIELD    AND    ITS    LIMITS* 


SECTION  A. 

WHY    THIS    A70EK    IS    NEEDED. 

1. — By  the  command  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,"  the  Church  of  Christ 
became  the  divinely  commissioned  agent  for  the  world's 
salvation. 

2. — The  Church  catholic,  or  universal,  may  be  defined 
as  the  whole  body  of  those  who  trust  in  Christ  as  their 
Savior,  and  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  In  the 
visible  Church  f  these  are  gathered  into  various  organized 
bodies — churches  or  denominations — according  to  nation- 
ality, doctrine,  and  polity. 

3. — These  churches  employ  a  variety  of  agencies  in  the 
prosecution  of  their  work.  Some  are  peculiar  to,  or  under 
the  supervision  and  control  of,  a  single  body  of  Christians. 

*  Chapters  1  and  2  are  reprinted  as  Int.  pph  No.  51. 

t  This  word,  when  used  collectively  in  this  book,  will  generally  mean  the 
whole  body  of  professing  Christians  gathered  into  the  various  evangelical 
denominations. 


14  THE  FIELD.  Chap.  1,  A,  4. 

In  other  cases  several  such  bodies,  or  tlieir  individual 
members,  unite  in  the  management  of  some  enterprise  or 
department  of  Christian  work. 

4. — New  agencies  have  from  time  to  time  been  devised 
and  put  into  operation.  Such,  however,  have  seldom 
been  adopted  without  first  meeting  criticism  and  opposi- 
tion, only  being  received  into  general  favor  after  giving 
practical  proof  of  their  usefulness.  This  statement  is 
illustrated  in  the  history  of  the  Sunday-school  and  the 
missionary  movement  of  the  present  century. 

5. — There  should  be  no  needless  multiplication  of 
agencies,  new  ones  being  introduced  only  as  they  are 
demanded  by  the  exigencies  of  the  times, 

6.— Is  THERE  THEN,  AT  THIS  TIME,  A  DEMAND  FOR  SUCH  AN 
ORaANIZATION  AS  THE  YoUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIA- 
TION ?  In  OTHER  WORDS,  ARE  YOUNG  MEN,  AS  A  CLASS, 
LARGELY  UNREACHED  BY  OTHER  RELIGIOUS  AGENCIES  ? 
And  CAN  THEY  BE  REACHED,  OR  MORE  EFFECTUALLY  IN- 
FLUENCED, BY  SUCH  AN  ORGANIZATION  ? 

v. — In  reply  it  may  be  stated  that  : 

a.  Young  men  are,  as  a  class,  largely  outside  the  in* 
fluence  of  the  ordinary  methods  of  church  work. 

'*  There  are  fully  thirteen  million  youn^  men  in  the  United  Statep 
^d  Canada.  Of  this  number  it  is  estimated  that  not  more  than 
one  million  are  members  of  evangelical  churches.  There  is  little 
doubt  that  at  least  seven  millions  of  them  habitually  stay  away 
from  all  churches.  Not  more  than  one-third  of  the  boys  remain 
in  the  Sunday-schools  after  they  reach  the  age  of  fifteen.  It  is 
safe  to  say  that  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  the  young  men  do  little  or 
nothing  in  an  aggressive  way  to  promote  the  organized  Christian 
work  of  the  churches." — Int.  pph.  No.  306,  p.  4. 

"  About  nine-tenths  of  the  entire  church  membership  were  con- 
verted before  the  age  of  twenty-one.  When  we  consider  that  the 
majority  of  church  members  are  women,  we  can  form  some  esti- 
mate of  the  exceedingly  small  number  of  men  who  accept  Christ 
after  passing  this  age." — Int.  pph.  No.  27,  p.  105.* 

*  See  also  Int.  pplis.  "  Young  men  united,"  No.  9,  and  "Why  should  we  have  an 
Association  in  our  town  ?  "  Ko.  551. 


Chap.  1,  A,  7.  THE  FIELD.  15 

h.  Such  an  organization  should  be  interdenominational. 

(1)  It  is  impracticable  for  most  individual  churches  to 
equip  and  operate  an  organization  of  this  character  on 
such  a  scale  as  to  attract  irreligious  young  men. 

(2)  A  number  of  denominational  societies  operating  in- 
dependently in  the  proposed  field  would  come  into  frequent 
and  embarrassing  conflict. 

(3)  The  same  *work  can  be  done  by  a  united  effort  with 
great  economy  of  money,  time,  and  labor. 

(4)  Special  classes,  made  up  of  men  with  a  variety  of 
religious  ideas  and  prejudices,  can  be  approached  better 
in  this  way  ;  union  effort  disarms  prejudice  and  opens 
doors  otherwise  closed. 

c.  Such  an  organization  is  needed,  primarily,  by  all 
classes  of  young  men,  and  also — in  their  relations  to  young 
men — by  the  churches,  the  family,  the  business  community, 
and  society  at  large: 

(1)  As  a  manifestation  of  practical  Christian  unity. 

(2)  To  strengthen  the  bond  among  the  young  men  of 
the  churches  by  associating  them  together  in  Christian 
work  and  fellowship. 

(3)  As  a  training  school.  Its  fields  and  methods  fur- 
nish opportunities  and  incitements  peculiarly  favorable  to 
this  end,  and  also  means  through  which  the  latent  talent 
of  Christian  young  men  may  find  a  wider  range  and 
fuller  scope  than  is  often  possible  in  their  own  church  work. 

(4)  To  provide  for  young  men  generally  opportunity 
for  their  full  and  symmetrical  development — spiritual, 
mental  and  physical — and  for  their  mutual  benefit  in 
healthful  social  intercourse. 

(5)  To  fill  as  far  as  possible  the  place  of  home  to  the 
large  numbers  of  young  men  whose  social  surroundings  are 
only  those  of  the  average  city  boarding  house. 

(6)  As  a  circle  into  which  a  young  man  without  cre- 
dentials can  be  received  until  he  prove  his  character. 

(V)  As  a  refuge  and  counter  attraction.  In  many 
•  :  ■  ies  and  towns  the  only  doors  open  to  all,    and   for   full 


26  THE  FIELD.  Chap.  1,  B,  1. 

hours  every  day  of  the  week,  are  those  of  the  saloons  and 
other  vicious  resorts.  The  churches  should  place  over 
against  them  attractions  equally  positive  and  influences  as 
aggressive. 

(8)  As  an  entrance  way.  Many  who  could  not  be  in- 
duced to  enter  a  church  to  hear  the  gospel  can  be  led  by 
various  means  into  the  Association,  and  through  it  into- 
the  churches. 

(9)  To  reach  and  influence  special  classes  of  young  men, 
such  as  railroad  men  or  students,  who,  from  similarity  of 
employment  or  any  close  contact  with  one  another,  have 
strong  class  affiliations  and  can  be  gained  much  more 
readily  by  such  an  organization. 

(10)  As  a  bond  between  the  employer  and  employe, 
providing  a  resort  maintained  by  their  united  efforts 
where  they  may  meet  in  social  and  religious  intercourse. 

(11)  To  strengthen  the  young  men  of  the  nation  to  re- 
sist the  great  evils  of  the  day,  some  of  which  threaten  the 
foundations  of  our  civil  and  religious  institutions.  * 


SECTION  B. 

A    DEFINITE    WORK FOR    AND    BY    YOUNG     MEN.f 

1. — Every  organization  should  have  its  definite  work. 

2. — The  object  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion is  to  save  and  develop  young  men.  Since  man  is  a 
compound  being,  made  up  of  physical  and  spiritual  elements, 
he  needs  a  symmetrical  development  of  the  different  parts 
of  his  nature  in  their  mutual  relations.  The  Association 
is  working  more  and  more  intelligently  every  year  in  this 
direction. 

3. — Experience  shows  that  the  permanency  and  success 

•  See  Strong's  "  Our  Country,"  esijccially  on  immigration,  intemperance, 
and  socialism. 

t  See  "  Why  should  our  work  be  for  young  men  exclusively  ?  "  Int.  pph.  No. 
053,  also  No.  568. 


Chap.  1,  C,   1.  THE  FIELD.  17 

of  individual  Associations  depend  on  their  confining  them- 
selves to  this  onp  object;  and  certainly  this  work  well 
done  will  absorb  all  their  energies. 

4. — Young  men  are  the  most  important  element  for  good 
or  evil  in  a  community.  For  example,  it  is  said  that  a 
sufficient  number  of  young  men  become  voters  every  four 
years  to  hold  the  balance  of  power  in  American  politics. 

5. — Few  will  question  that  young  men  as  a  class  are 
peculiarly  exposed  to  evil  influences.  Satan  and  his  agents 
appeal  chiefly  to  them,  and  often  succeed  because  a  young 
man's  heart  is  not  neutral  ground.  Large  numbers  of 
young  men  are  absent  from  home  and  its  restraints,  hav- 
no  one  to  look  after  their  best  interests.  The  criminal 
classes  are  composed  very  largely  of  young  men.* 

6. — Young  men  are  more  open  to  sympathy  and  good 
influences  than  older  men.  Few  men  are  led  into  the 
Christian  life  after  the  age  of  young  manhood. 

7. — A  young  man  converted  means  the  value  of  his 
whole  after  life  transferred  from  the  service  of  Satan  to 
that  of  Christ. 

8. — Young  men,  as  a  class,  are  easily  reached  and 
powerfully  influenced  by  other  young  men ;  they  are  readily 
associated  together  and  can  thus  most  effectively  bring 
one  another  under  good  influences.  This  is  shown  by 
their  numerous  club  organizations.  The  Association 
utilizes  this  tendency. 


SECTION  C. 

THE    AIM    DISTINCTIVELY  RELIGIOUS. 

1. — The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  originated  in 
a  meeting  for  prayer  and  Bible  study. 

*  The  report  of  the  superintendent  of  state  prisons  of  the  State  of  New  York 
for  1887  showed  the  average  age  of  1,425  male  prisoners  in  Siug  Sing  prison  at 
the  time  of  conviction  to  be  28>^  years.  Of  this  number,  1^88  were  under  40 
years,  and  only  137  beyond  that  age;  1,012  were  under  30  years;  and  710,  or  about 
Lalf  the  number,  were  under  24  years:  whilw  201,  or  about  one-seventh,  were 
under  20  years.    Of  851  received  during  1887,  C07  were  single  men. 


18  THE  FIELD.  Chap.  1,  C,  2. 

2. — For  a  time  the  agencies  employed  were  directly  re- 
ligious, and  the  conversion  of  young  men,  together  with 
their  growth  in  Christian  character,  were  the  only  things 
the  society  sought  to  accomplish. 

3. — Although  the  organization  almost  immediately 
undertook  other  lines  of  work  for  young  men  (see  Chap.  23), 
and  has  since  broadened  its  work  until  it  embraces  the 
development  of  the  whole  man,  yet  its  ultimate  aim  has 
always  been  the  evangelization  and  Christian  culture  of 
young  men. 

4.  The  first  World's  Conference,  held  at  Paris  in  1855, 
laid  down  the  following  '*  basis"  : — **The  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations  seek  to  unite  those  young  men 
who,  regarding  Jesus  Christ  as  their  God  and  Savior, 
according  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  desire  to  be  his  disciples, 
in  their  doctrine  and  in  their  life^  and  to  associate  their 
efforts  ybr  the  extension  of  his  kingdom  among  young 
men?'* 

6. — This  basis  has  been  re-affirmed  from  time  to  time 
by  conventions  and  conferences  in  various  countries,  with 
the  addition  of  details  adapted  to  the  work  in  these 
countries.* 

6. — In  every  Association  the  religious  work  is  considered 
to  be  be  the  important  and  crowning  feature,  toward 
which  all  the  other  departments  lead  up.  A  large  pro- 
portion of  the  time  and  thought  of  the  best  workers  is 
given  to  it. 


SECTION  D. 

KELATION    TO    THE    CHUKCH. 

\.—TEE  RELATION  DEFINED,  ETC. 

a.    The  Young   Men's  Christian  Association  Is   not   a 
substitute  for  the  Church,  is  not  a  rival  of  the  Church,  is 

*  For  a  fuller  definition  of  the  evaugelical  character  of  tUe  Associations, 
see  the  Portland  resolutious,  Chap.  3,  F,  2. 


Chap.  1,  D.  2.  THE  FIELD.  19 

not  an  organization  outside  of  the  Church.  It  cannot 
proselyte  from  the  Church,  as  only  church  members  are 
admitted  to  its  active,  e.  e.,  voting  and  office-holding, 
membership.  It  has  no  ordinances,  and  men  led  into  the 
Christian  life  through  its  agency  must  seek  them  in  the 
Church.  * 

b.  It  is  a  product  of  the  Church,  and  a  department  of 
its  -work.  In  its  entire  field  it  co-operates  with  the  churches 
and  contributes  to  their  growth  and  power. 

c.  It  is  the  Church  at  work,  inter  denomination  ally  and 
through  its  laymen,  by  and  for  young  men. 

cl  The  Association  was  for  a  time  regarded  by  many 
with  a  feeling  of  doubt  and  even  apprehension,  because  of 
ignorance  of  its  real  character  and  aim,  because  of  ill- 
advised  acts  or  utterances  on  the  part  of  individuals 
interested  in  it,  and  because  immature  plans  and  mis- 
taken methods  were  sometimes  adopted  and  put  into 
operation. 

e.  But  now  that  the  Association  as  an  institution  has 
come  to  be  better  known;  has  proved  the  practical  and  help- 
ful character  of  its  work;  and  is  outgrowing,  under  care- 
ful methods  of  supervision,  the  errors  and  crudities  incident 
to  its  earlier,  and  necessarily  experimental,  period ;  it  is 
cordially  and  generally  approved,  and  prominent  ministers 
of  all  evangelical  bodies  are  among  its  ardent  friends  and 
supporters. 

2.— A  HELP  TO  TEB  CHURCH. 

a.  The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  has,  more 
than  any  other  agency,  brought  about  a  fraternal  union  of 
Christian  young  men. 

b.  Its  success  has  suggested  the  value  of  organized  work 
among  young  women  and  young  people  generally,  and 
such  efforts  have  been  greatly  multiplied. 

c.  Practical  and  personal  Bible  study  has  received  de- 
cided impetus. 

*  See  "  Relation  to  the  Church,"  Int.  pph.  No.  606,  and  "  Watchman,"  1880, 
page  233.    Also  see  "  The  test  of  active  memberBhip,"  lafc,  pph.  No.  556. 


20  THE  FIELD.  Chap.  1,  D,  8. 

d.  Emphasis  has  been  given  to  personal  effort,  and  as  a 
result  the  number  of  practical  every-day  workers  has  been 
increased;  and  beginners  in  the  Christian  life  as  well  as 
inactive  laymen  have  been  given  something  to  do,  kept  at 
work,  and  so  trained  for  service. 

e.  Young  men  have  been  taught  in  the  Association  that 
the  Church  is  a  divine  institution.  Association  members 
are  loyal  adherents  of  the  Church  the  Avorld  over.  (See 
Chap.  3,  G.) 

f.  Money  has  been  generously  contributed  by  cor- 
porations and  business  men,  for  Christian  work  among 
particular  classes  and  for  special  forms  of  effort,  which 
probably  could  have  been  secured  only  through  the  in- 
terest awakened  by  the  methods  and  spirit  of  the  Asso- 
ciations. 

g.  Thousands  of  young  men  have  been  led  into  church 
membership. 

3.— WHAT  IT  ASKS  OF  TBS  CHURCH. 

a.  Recognition,  founded  upon  its  distinctive  mission  and 
what  it  has  accomplished. 

b.  Co-operation,  in  the  way  of  a  sufficient  financial 
support,  and  the  gift  of  some  of  its  young  men  to  the 
work — especially  to  the  general  secretaryship.  The  best 
talent  is  needed,  and  should  be  given,  not  grudgingly,  for 
no  young  men  are  more  truly  working  for  the  Church  than 
those  devoted,  wholly  or  in  part,  to  the  work  of  the  Asso- 
ciation. 

c.  Friendly  criticism  and  advice.  The  Church  is  the 
rightful  guardian  of  every  department  of  its  work.  Its 
mature  judgment  will  be  honored,  and  its  wise  counsels, 
given  in  love,  will  be  faithfully  heeded. 

d.  Any  individual  church  is  likely  to  be  to  the  Associa- 
tion what  its  pastor  is.  Therefore  the  pastor  may  wisely 
sustain  an  active  relation  to  the  Association;  recognizing 
it  by  publicly  praying  for  and  commending  it;  belonging 
to  and  working  with  it,  to  such  extent  as  he  may  be  able; 
and  aiding  in  making  it  what  it  should  be.     Largely  in  pro- 


Chap.  1,  D,  4.  THE  FIELD.  21 

portion  to  the  pastor's  interest  and  support  will  the  bene- 
ficial results  of  the  work  reach  his  own  church.  (See 
Chap.  11,  A.) 

1.—WBAT  IT  BHOULD  GIVE  TO  THE  CHURCH. 

a.  Filial  devotion.  It  should  guard  against  teachings 
opposed  to  those  of  the  evangelical  churches,  and  all 
methods  not  approved  by  their  best  judgment;  arrange  its 
work  so  as  to  avoid  conflict  with  their  regular  appoint- 
ments; and  do  nothing  in  any  way  antagonistic  to  them. 

b.  Positive  results.  The  best  energies  of  the  Associa- 
tion should  be  used  in  the  direction  of  saving  young  men 
and  bringing  them  into  the  churches. 


CHAPTER   a 

SUMMARY  OF  THE  WORK, 


SECTION  A. 

A   GENERAL    STATEMENT. 

The  work  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
may  be  stated  as  follows  : 

Prevention.  To  guard  young  men  morally  by  keeping 
them  away  from  places  of  evil  resort  through  counter  at- 
tractions; surrounding  them  with  wholesome  associations; 
and  bringing  them  under  the  power  of  the  gospel. 

Rescue.  To  extend  a  helping  hand  to  the  fallen,  and  to 
lead  them  to  Christ. 

Education.  To  build  up  young  men,  spiritually,  intel- 
lectually, and  physically. 


SECTION  B. 

THE    MEANS    EMPLOYED    IN    CITIES. 

1. — Officers,  board  of  directors,  and  committees,  con- 
stituting a  volunteer  force,  upon  which  devolves  the  re- 
sponsibility and  much  of  the  detail  work  of  the  organiza- 
tion. 

2. — A  trained  secretary  and  other  employed  officers,  as 
may  be  required,  to  give  supervision  to  the  work  and 
proper  care  to  the  Association  home,  under  direction  of 
the  board. 

y. — An  Association  building  or  rented  rooms,  adapted 
to  the  work,  and  furnished  with  needed  appliances. 


Chap.  3,  B,  8.  the  work.  23 

4.  — A  religious  department  : 

a.  At  the  rooms — and  for  young  men  only — evangel- 
istic and  social  religious  meetings,  various  classes  for 
Bible  study,  and  workers'  training  classes. 

h.  Meetings  for  young  men  outside  of  the  rooms,  such 
as  hospital,  penitentiary,  and  jail  services. 

c.  Distribution  of  religious  literature,  invitations,  etc., 
among  young  men. 

5. — An  educational  department. 

a.  Reading  room. 

h.  Circulating  and  reference  libraries. 

c.  Evening  classes  in  commercial  and  industrial  lines, 
grammar,  composition,  national  and  general  history, 
music,  art,  and  languages. 

d.  Courses  of  lectures  and  **  familiar  talks." 

e.  Literary  society. 

6. — A  physical  department. 

a.  Gymnasium,  with  trained  instructor. 
h.  Lavatories,  including  a  variety  of  toilet  and  bath- 
ing facilities,  swimming  bath,  etc. 

c.  Athletic  club,  with  grounds  for  outdoor  sports. 

d.  Outing  clubs,  for  rambling,  boating,  swimming, 
bicycling,  etc. 

e.  Lectures  on  physiology  and  hygiene,  temperance, 
personal  purity,  first  aid  to  the  injured,  etc. 

'7. — A  social  department. 
a.  Social  rooms  for  resort,  conversation,  and  amuse- 
ment. 

h.  Social  and  instructive  games,  music,  etc. 

c.  Members'  meetings  and  receptions. 

d.  Evening  reception  committee. 

8. — A  department  of  information  and  relief. 
a.  Boarding  house  bureau. 
h.  Employment  bureau. 

c.  Savings  bureau. 

d.  Visitation  of  the  sick. 

e.  Relief  of  destitute  young  men. 


34  THB  WORK.  Chap.  3,  B,  9. 

9. — Work  for  boys  in  all  these   departments,    separate 
from  the  work  for  young  men. 


SECTION  C. 

THE   MEANS    EMPLOYED    IN    SMALL   TOWNS. 

1. — These  must  chiefly  be  modifications  of  the  agencies 
used  in  cities,  varied  according  to  the  size  and  require- 
ments of  the  town.  In  general  the  nearer  these  means 
approximate  in  character  to  those  of  the  city  Association 
the  better,  if  they  are  also  adajDted  to  local  needs. 

2. — Associated  influence  is  a  strong  power  in  the  small 
towns.  Three  or  four  young  men  may  determine  the 
moral  drift  of  a  whole  community. 

3. — In  the  smallest  places  rooms  are  not  always  essential, 
as  good  work  has  been  carried  on  in  some  instances  with- 
out them. 

4. — Religious  meetings,  social  receptions,  and  literary 
societies  may  be  successfully  conducted  at  private  resi- 
dences. 

5. — Personal  work  may  be  done  with  peculiar  advan- 
tage in  small  places,  because  of  the  more  general  acquaint- 
ance and  contact  of  the  people  with  each  other. 

6. — The  place  of  the  paid  secretary  may  be  supplied  by 
a  volunteer  officer,  called  the  executive  secretary. 

7. — Where  no  salaried  officer  is  employed,  the  success 
of  the  entire  work  depends  upon  the  faith  and  energy  of 
the  officers  and  committees. 

8. — Book  and  periodical  clubs,  for  the  systematic  circu- 
lation of  good  reading  matter,  may  be  easily  formed  and 
accomplish  excellent  results. 

9. — A  reading  circle,  as  the  "  Chautauqua  Literary  and 
Scientiflc,"  or  an  authors'  or  travelers'  club,  may  be  con- 
ducted under  Association  ausjHces. 

10. — A  series  of  lectures  or  "talks,"  by  local  talent  or 
persons  from  neighboring  towns,  will  often  be  practicable. 


Chap.  2,  C,  14.  THE  WORK.  25 

11. — In  the  line  of  physical  culture  an  athletic  club,  for 
outdoor  sports,  may  be  organized. 

12. — Judicious  work  for  boys  will  yield  good  results. 

1 3.  — A  practical  working  connection  with  a  neighboring 
city  Association,  fostered  by  the  state  and  district  com- 
mittees, will  be  important  and  invigorating,  especially 
when  the  Association  has  no  general  secretary. 

14. — Seven  lines  of  work  may  be  carried  on  in  any 
town,  however  small,  or  in  the  country  where  a  few 
Christian  young  men  will  band  themselves  together — with 
or  without  organization  :  (a)  a  young  men's  Bible  class; 
(b)  a  young  men's  meeting;  (c)  occasional  social  recep- 
tions; (d)  informal  practical  talks;  (e)  a  library;  (/) 
visitation  of  sick;  (g)  furnishing  young  men  leaving  the 
community  with  letters  of  introduction  to  college  and  city 
Associations,  and  notifying  these  Associations  that  such 
letters  have  been  given. 


CHAPTER   3. 

THE   RISE  AND    GROWTH  OF  THE    YOUNQ   MEN'S 
CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATIONS* 


SECTION  A. 

ORIGIN    OF    THE    PRESENT    MOVEMENT. 

1. — In  1837,  George  Williams,  an  apprentice  sixteen 
years  of  age,  employed  in  a  dry  goods  establishment  in 
Bridgwater,  England,  yielded  his  heart  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  He  soon  became  anxious  for  the  welfare  of  his 
associates,  and  was  led  to  prayer  and  effort  in  their  be- 
half which  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  a  considerable 
number. 

In  1841  he  removed  to  London  and  became  a  junior 
assistant  in  the  dry  goods  establishment  of  Hitchcock  & 
Co.,  St.  Paul's  Churchyard.  Here  he  found  about  eighty 
young  men,  fellow  clerks,  very  few  of  whom  were  pro- 
fessing Christians,  and  many  were  very  profligate. 

The  same  burning  zeal  for  Christ,  that  characterized 
him  in  Bridgwater,  manifested  itself  in  London.  The 
small  band  of  Christians  gathered,  for  prayer  and  Bible 
study  and  frequent  reading  together  in  "  Finney's  Lec- 
tures," in  one  of  the  bedrooms  on  the  premises  after  the 
work  of  the  day  was  over  (it  being  customary  then  for 
clerks  to  occupy  rooms  in  the  business  houses  where  they 
were  employed).     One  by  one  they  invited  their  careless 

*  This  chapter  is  based  upon  "A  Historical  Sketch,"  by  R.  R.  McBumey,  1885. 
The  statistics  regarding  Association  work  are  from  the  Year  Book  for  1891.  They 
were  collected  in  the  early  part  of  that  year  and  therefore  represent  the  work  of 
1890.     This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  52. 

See  also  "  The  Influence  and  Eclatiouships  of  the  Associations,"  Int.  pph.  No.  COS. 


Chap.  3,  A,  2.  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  ^7 

associates  to  join  them.  Many  were  converted,  and  the 
room  soon  became  too  small  to  hold  those  desiring  to 
attend. 

*"  To  obtain  the  permanent  and  undisturbed  use  of  another  room, 
application  to  the  principal  became  necessary,  and  this  was  a 
matter  of  some  difficulty.  Able  and  energetic  as  a  man  of  business, 
he  had  shown  no  signs  of  religious  feeling,  he  had  done  nothing 
to  secure  the  comfort  or  welfare  of  his  young  men,  nor  did  he 
check  the  evils  which  attended  the  conduct  of  business  in  his 
establishment,  in  common  with  many  others,  at  the  time.  He 
was  only  known  as  the  employer,  and  in  that  capacity,  though  no 
worse,  was  not  better  than  the  rest  of  his  class.  But  the  young 
men  had  waited  on  God  for  his  direction  and  help,  and  in  the 
strength  of  faith  they  went  forward  with  their  application.  To 
their  surprise  it  was  received  with  sympathy,  with  tenderness, 
with  the  heartbroken  feelings  of  a  sinner  made  conscious  of  his 
guilt  and  need,  and  earnestly  seeking  to  know  and  to  do  the  will  of 
God.  The  room  was  granted,  the  young  men  were  thanked  for 
their  past  efforts  and  prayers  on  behalf  of  the  establishment,  and 
the  master  became  from  that  hour  the  father  of  his  household, 
joining  with  his  godly  servants  in  solicitude  for  its  spiritual  wel- 
fare,  reforming  every  arrangement  inconsistent  with  the  con- 
scientious discharge  of  the  duties  or  the  personal  comfort  of  those 
he  employed,  and  in  all  things  seeking  to  make  that  household  an 
abode  of  peace,  a  pattern  of  godliness,  a  center  of  Christian  use- 
fulness." 

2. — One  day  in  conversation  with  a  friend  Mr.  Williams 
expressed  himself  as  deeply  impressed  with  the  importance 
of  introducing  religious  services,  such  as  they  were  enjoy- 
ing, into  every  large  establishment  in  London.  This  con- 
versation resulted  in  a  conference  between  a  few  of  the 
Christian  young  men  in  Mr.  Hitchcock's  establishment,  at 
the  close  of  one  of  their  meetings.  They  then  decided  to 
call  a  meeting  of  all  the  Christian  young  men  of  the  house 
for  Thursday,  June  6,  1844,  to  consider  the  importance 
and  practicability  of  establishing  the  work  on  a  firmer 
basis. 

Between  the  appointment  and  the  holding  of  this  meet- 

*  Sliipton's  "  History  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of  London." 
Vol.  I.  "  Exeter  Hall  Lectures,  1845—46,"  London,  1834,  p.  xxxii. 


28  HISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  8,  A,  3. 

ing,  James  Smith,  the  principal  assistant  in  another  large 
dry  goods  house,  wrote  to  Mr.  Williams  under  date  of  May- 
Si,  inviting  him  to  attend  a  prayer  meeting  at  his  place 
that  evening,  and  to  come  early  in  order  to  advise  with 
him  whether  Christian  effort  similar  to  that  being  then 
made  in  their  respective  houses  could  be  made  in  other 
houses  of  their  trade.  Mr.  Williams  was  unable  to  attend 
this  meeting,  because  he  had  previously  invited  the  men 
in  his  establishment  to  meet  in  his  room  on  the  same  even- 
ing, for  the  same  purpose,  but  in  response  to  Mr.  Williams' 
invitation,  Mr.  Smith  was  present  at  the  meeting  held  in 
the  room  of  the  former,  June  6,  1844. 

At  this  meeting  it  was  decided  to  organize  a  "  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,"  the  object  of  which  was 
stated  to  be  "  to  improve  the  spiritual  condition  of  young 
men  engaged  in  the  drapery  and  other  trades." 

3. — Until  a  permanent  salaried  secretary  was  engaged, 
John  C.  Symons  and  William  Creese  acted  as  voluntary 
secretaries  with  great  ability  and  zeal.  In  1845,  T.  H. 
Tarleton,  then  twenty-five  years  of  age,  was  engaged  as 
the  first  secretary  and  missionary  of  the  Association,  and 
continued  in  office  until  his  resignation  in  1856  to  enter 
the  ministry  of  the  Church  of  England. 

4. — William  Edwyn  Shipton,  who  had  been  an  active 
volunteer  in  the  work  from  1849,  resigned  his  secular  em- 
ployment and  was  elected  corresponding  secretary  October 
1,  1851,  in  the  twenty-fifth  year  of  his  age.  He  continued 
in  office  until  his  resignation,  on  account  of  ill-health, 
June  30,  1879.  During  this  long  service  he  was  also 
practically  the  national  secretary  for  Great  Britain  and 
the  managing  secretary  of  the  World's  Conferences,  which 
met  triennially  in  Europe  from  1855  to  1878.  His  influence 
was  thus  widely  felt  in  Europe  and  also  through  corres- 
pondence and  printed  matter  in  America,  particularly  in 
the  early  stages  of  our  work.  He  was  instrumental  in 
keeping  the  English  Associations  faithful  to  their  primary 
work   for   young   men.      To   this   fidelity  our  American 


Chap.  3,  A,  6.  rise  and  growth.  29 

Associations  are  also  deeply  indebted  for  example  and 
stimulus. 

5. — Mr.  Williams  is  now  the  head  of  the  house  of  Hitch- 
cock, Williams  &  Co.,  which  he  entered  as  a  junior  clerk 
in  1841.  On  the  death  of  the  venerable  Earl  of  Shaftes- 
bury, in  1885,  Mr.  Williams  was  elected  to  succeed  him  in 
the  presidency  of  the  London  Association.  Few  men  en- 
joy his  privilege  of  seeing  a  work,  instituted  by  them- 
selves, so  widely  extended  and  so  fruitful  in  blessing  as 
is  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  Associations 
may  be  found  in  nearly  every  country  of  the  civilized 
world,  aggregating  in  1890,  4,150. 

6. — The  Association  movement  both  in  France  and 
Switzerland  seems  to  be  directly  traceable  to  the  London 
Association.  The  organization  of  the  German  Associa- 
tions began  about  1832.  Few  of  them,  however,  can 
strictly  be  called  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations,  in 
the  sense  in  which  the  term  is  used  in  English-speaking 
countries.  Their  membership  is  chiefly,  if  not  exclusively, 
confined  to  some  one  church  or  denomination.  Beginning 
with  the  Paris  Conference  in  1855,  they  have,  however, 
affiliated  with  the  Associations  of  all  lands,  and  to  some 
extent  have  felt  the  influence  of  the  Association  move- 
ment that  originated  in  London.  Particularly  has  this 
been  the  case  in  Berlin,  where  in  1882  Rev.  Frederic  von 
Schluembach  (for  some  time  German  Secretary  of  the 
American  International  Committee),  while  engaged  in 
evangelistic  work,  incidentally  helped  in  organizing  an 
Association  that  more  nearly  resembles  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations  here  described  than  those  previously 
formed.  A  competent  general  secretary  was  secured. 
Since  then  similar  work  has  been  done  in  other  cities  of 
that  empire. 

Further  details  regarding  the  World's  Conferences,  etc., 
are  given  in  chapter  33. 


30  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  B,  1. 

SECTION  B. 

EARLIER    WORK    FOR    YOUNG    MEN. 

1. — The  movement  in  1844,  of  which  our  own  American 
Associations  are  a  development,  was  not  the  first  effort 
specially  made  on  behalf  of  young  men.  Walter  Wilson, 
in  his  biography  of  William  Kiffin,  a  leading  Baptist  mer- 
chant, speaks  of  the  existence  in  London,  in  1632,  of  an 
association  composed  of  apprentices  who  met  together  at 
five  o'clock  on  Sunday  mornings  "  for  prayer  and  religious 
conversation." 

2. — The  same  writer,  in  his  biography  of  the  celebrated 
William  Harris,  D.D.,  born  about  1675,  says  : 

*'  In  his  youthful  days  he  joined  himself  to  a  society  of  youn^ 
men,  who  met  once  a  week  for  prayer,  reading,  and  religious  con- 
versation; for  the  mutual  communication  of  knowledge;  and  with 
the  view  of  strengthening  each  other  against  the  solicitations  of 
evil  company." 

3. — In  1698  Rev.  Josiah  Woodward,  D.D.,  published  the 
second  edition  of  his  "Account  of  tlie  Rise  and  Progress  of 
the  Religious  Societies  in  the  City  of  London,  etc."  From 
it  we  learn  that  about  1678 

*  "  Several  young  men  of  the  Church  of  England,  in  the  cities 
of  London  and  Westminster,  were  about  the  same  time  touched 
with  a  very  affecting  sense  of  their  sins,  and  began  to  apply 
themselves  in  a  very  serious  manner  to  rehgious  thoughts  and 
purposes.  *  *  *  Upon  their  frequent  application  to  their 
ministers,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Horneck  and  Rev.  Mr.  Smithies,  it 
was  advised  that  they  meet  together  once  a  week,  and  apply 
themselves  to  good  discourse,  and  things  wherein  they  might 
edify  one  another.  *  *  *  As  their  sense  of  the  blessedness  of 
religion  and  the  value  of  immortal  souls  increased,  they  could  not 
but  exercise  bowels  of  compassion  towards  such  as  discovered  little 
concern  about  these  important  matters.  *  *  «  vj  This  inclined 
them  to  endeavor,  by  discourse  with  their  acquaintance  in  proper 
seasons,  to  press  upon  them  those  divine  arguments  whereby  them- 

*  These  quotations  are  from  the  sixth  edition  of  Wood>Yard'g  "  Account,"  1744. 


Chpp.  3,  B,  3.  RISE  AND  aROWTH.  31 

selves  had  been  roused  out  of  a  state  of  carnal  insensibleness. 
And,  finding  that  the  grace  of  God  many  times  seconded  these 
their  Christian  admonitions  to  good  effect,  they  became  more 
habituated  to  good  discourse,  especially  where  there  was  any  prob- 
ability of  civil  acceptance  of  it,  insomuch  that  at  length  they 
could  not  but  stand  amazed  at  the  success  which  it  pleased  God  to 
give  them.  One  of  them,  to  whom  God  had  given  a  very  deep 
sense  of  religious  matters  and  a  very  moving  manner  of  expressing 
it,  had  such  success,  that  be  had,  under  God,  induced  most  of  his 
intimate    acquaintance    at    least    to    an    outward     reformation. 

*  *  *  *  Upon  this  they  made  a  private  order  at  one  of  their 
assemblies,  that  every  one  should  endeavor  to  bring  in  one  other 
at  least  into  their  society,  which  they  did  to  good  effect ;  for  I 
heard  a  very  serious  person  bless  God  with  great  affection,  that 
ever  they  made  such  an  order  and  took  such  resolutions,  '  for,' 
said  he,  *  this  put  one  of  them  upon  discourse  with  me  about  those 
things,  which  till  that  time  I  little  minded,  and  which  now  I  can 
never  forget.'  *  *  *  *  There  is  such  love  amongst  those  of 
them  that  have  fallen  under  my  observation  that  scarce  any 
natural  brothers  are  so  vigorously  affectionate.  I  have  often  be- 
held their  meeting  and  parting  embrace  with  admiration,  and 
those  who  are  newly  admitted  are  soon  contracted  into  the  same 
fellowship  of  Christian  brotherhood.  They  are  also  far  from  rigid 
censure  and  unkind  treatment  of  any  sorts  of  Christians,  as  they 
truly  aim  at  real  Christianity  ;  so  they  value  it  wherever  they  find 
it.  *  *  *  By  the  blessing  of  God  they  have  of  late  years  so  in- 
creased among  us  that  there  are  now  about  forty  distinct  bodies  of 
them  within  the  compass  of  the  Bills  of  Mortality  ;  and  these  have 
produced  the  like  in  many  other  cities   and    country    towns. 

*  *  *  Other  societies  of  this  nature  have  been  both  formerly 
and  lately  formed  in  various  parts  of  this  nation,  and  even  as  far 
as  Dublin,  in  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  where  from  three  or  fom- 
persons,  with  which  they  began,  they  are  now  increased  to  nine  or 
ten  societies,  containing  about  three  hundred  persons.  And  they 
find  such  encouragement  there,  from  the  pious  archbishop  and 
from  several  divines  and  other  considerable  persons,  that  they  have 
been  the  means  of  reviving  a  ^eat  sense  of  religion  in  many  of  the 
inhabitants  of  that  city,  and  have  begun  a  very  hopeful  reforma- 
tion of  manners  among  them,  the  archbishop  having  signed  his 
approbation  of  their  orders,  which  are  copied  from  those  in  London. 
And  indeed  all  these  good  effects  were  occasioned  by  the  examples 
of  the  London  societies,  and  by  the  removing  of  some  few  of  the 
London  associates  to  Dublin." 


32  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  B,  4. 

A  young  men's  society  modeled  after  those  described  by 
Dr.  Woodward,  was  doing  an  efficient  work  in  Taunton, 
Mass.,  in  1705.* 

4. — Mention  should  be  made  of  the  **  Societies  for  the  Re- 
formation of  Manners,"  which  grew  out  of  the  religious 
work  of  the  Church  of  England  societies  of  young  men 
just  referred  to.  Woodward  states  that  in  the  year  1691 
an  organization  was  effected,  having  for  its  object  the  sup- 
pression of  vice  through  legal  means. 

The  Rev.  C.  F,  Secretan,  in  his  **  Memoirs  of  the  Pious 
Robert  Nelson,"  states  that  the  religious  and  reform 
societies  found  in  Mr.  Nelson  a  warm  advocate  and  in- 
fluential friend.     He  also  says  that 

"  The  chief  design  of  the  religious  societies  was  the  promotion 
of  personal  piety  among  their  members,  who  were  all  communi- 
cants of  the  Church  of  England  ;  while  the  object  of  the  other  was 
the  enforcement  of  laws  against  vice,  an  undertaking  in  which 
dissenters  from  the  Church  were  freely  allowed  to  co-operate.  These 
latter  societies  had  their  origin,  about  1691,  in  the  efforts  of  five  or 
six  gentlemen  at  London,  who  set  themselves  to  recover  public 
morality  from  the  excesses  which  had  disgraced  it  under  Charles 
II,  and  which  still  maintained  an  unblushing  face  in  spite  of  the 
more  decorous  example  of  William  and  Mary's  Court." 

The  societies  collected  an  abstract  of  the  penal  laws 
against  vice.  A  letter  was  obtained  from  Queen  Mary,  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Stillingfleet,  Lord  Bishop  of  Worcester, 
directing  the  justices  of  the  peace  to  aid  the  societies  in 
carrying  out  their  designs.  The  members  of  the  religious 
societies  became  the  most  active  agents  of  the  Societies 
for  the  Reformation  of  Manners. 

5. — Cotton  Mather,  D.D.,  in  his  "  Bonifacius  "  or  "  Essays 
to  do  Good,"  published  in  Boston  in  1710,  refers  to  young 
men's  religious  societies  under  the  name  of  **  Young  Men 
Associated.     He  says  of  them  : 

*'  These,  duly  managed,  have  been  incomparable  nurseries  to  the 
churches,  where  faithful  pastors  have  countenanced  them.  Young 
men  are  hereby  preserved  from  very  many  temptations,  rescued 

*  See  "A  Help  to  a  National  Beformatiou,"  Prince  Library,  Boston. 


Chap.  3,  B,  6.  rise  and  growth.  33 

from  paths  of  the  destroyer,  confirmed  in  the  right  ways  of  the 
Lord,  and  prepared  mightily  for  such  rehgious  exercises  as  will  be 
expected  from  them  when  they  come  themselves  to  be  house- 
holders." 

There  is  evidence  of  the  existence  of  several  of  these 
societies  in  New  England  prior  to  1737.* 

6. — About  1729,  when  John  Wesley  was  a  fellow  of 
Lincoln  College,  Oxford,  a  serious  man,  whom  he  had 
traveled  many  miles  to  see,  said  to  him,  *'  Sir,  you  wish  to 
serve  God  and  go  to  heaven.  Remember  that  you  cannot 
serve  him  alone;  you  must  therefore  find  companions  or 
make  them;  the  Bible  knows  nothing  of  solitary  religion." 
Rev.  Henry  Moore,  his  biographer,  says  that  he  never 
forgot  this,  and  that  on  his  return  to  the  university  he 
first  spoke  to  his  brother  Charles,  and  afterwards  to  Mr. 
Morgan,  Mr.  Hervey,  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  others,  and  this 
led  to  the  formation  of  an  association  by  these  yoang  men 
in  the  university.  It  was  tauntingly  named  by  their  fel- 
low students  "  The  Godly  Club." 

t  "  Several  members  of  this  association  afterwards  went  as  mis- 
sionaries to  Georgia  ;  and  during  their  visits  to  London,  going  and 
returning,  became  intimately  associated  with  the  young  men's 
societies  mentioned  by  Woodward,  and  with  others,  especially 
those  meeting  in  Westminster,  Fetter  Lane,  and  Aldersgate 
Street." 

It  was  in  the  meeting  in  Aldersgate  Street,  May  24, 
1738,  that  John  Wesley  experienced  a  change  wrought  in 
his  own  soul,  of  which  he  says  : 

I  "  In  the  evening  I  went  very  unwillingly  to  a  society  in  Aiders- 
gate  Street,  where  one  was  reading  Luther's  preface  to  the  Epistle 
to  the  Romans.  About  a  quarter  before  nine,  while  he  was  de- 
scribing the  change  God  works  in  the  heart  through  faith  in  Christ, 
I  felt  my  heart  strangely  warmed.  I  felt  I  did  trust  in  Christ, 
Christ  alone,  for  salvation  ;  and  an  assurance  was  given  me  that 
he  had  taken  away  my  sins,  even  mine,  and  saved  me  from  the 
law  of  sin  and  death.     I  began  to  pray  with  all  my  might  for 

*  See  Catalogue  of  Prince  Library,  Boston. 

t  Shiptou's  History,  p.  xix. 

I  "  We^ley'a  Journal,"  Emory's  Edition,  N.  Y.,  lo31,  p.  74. 


34  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  B,  7. 

those  who  had  in  a  more  especial  manner  despitefully  used  me 
and  persecuted  me.  I  then  testified  openly  to  all  these  what  I 
now  first  felt  in  my  heart." 

Y. — In  1838,  the  year  before  his  death,  David  Nasmith;  of 
Glasgow,  the  founder  of  the  London  City  Mission,  wrote 
to  a  friend  : 

*'  Since  the  close  of  the  year  1823,  the  privilege  has  been  granted 
me  of  forming  about  seventy  Young  Men's  Societies  in  the  United 
Kingdom,  France  and  America.  My  object  in  these  societies  has 
been  to  bless  young  men  and  make  them  blessings ;  and  I  have  not 
been  disappointed.  You  are  aware  that  these  societies  consist  of 
young  men  between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  thirty -five,  of  good 
moral  character,  and  professing  no  opinions  subversive  of  evan- 
gelical principles.  The  members  of  each  association  meet  periodi- 
cally, imder  the  superintendence  of  a  pious  and  experienced  presi- 
dent, for  the  purpose  of  mutual  improvement  and  benevolent  ex- 
ertion. The  Bible  is  considered  as  their  rule,  and  all  political 
discussions  are  prohibited." 

He  closes  his  letter  with  the  following  words  : 

*'  The  claims  which  Young  Men's  Societies  have  upon  all  classes 
of  the  community  appear  to  me  many  and  urgent.  Would  that 
the  wise  and  experienced  of  our  ministers,  our  fathers,  our  patriots, 
our  philanthropists,  would  but  weigh  their  importance  and  unite 
their  energies  to  promote  the  multiplication  and  efficiency  of  in- 
stitutions so  fraught  with  blessing.  *  *  O,  my  dear  sir,  our 
young  men  must  be  trained  for  the  Lord ! " 

The  same  year  Mr.  Nasmith  wrote  : 

*'  If,  in  some  instances,  we  have  not  found  the  men  of  experience 
(I  say  not  of  years)  to  preside  over  and  regulate  the  proceedings  of 
Young  Men's  Societies,  it  has  generally  been  where  they  would 
not  come  forward  who  are  most  competent.  I  have  seen  glorious 
results  follow  many  of  the  Young  Men's  Societies  that  I  have 
formed ;  and  my  deep  regret  is  that  no  apostle  of  Young  Men's 
Societies  has  arisen  and  thrown  his  whole  soul  and  mind,  as  well 
as  time,  into  them,  that  their  important  designs  might  be  carried 
into  effect.  Till  then,  I  feel  called  on  to  do  all  that  I  can,  knowing 
that  the  Church  must  think  of,  nurse  and  train  her  young  men 
before  she  can  answer  the  ends  for  which  she  exists." 

In  1839,  Mr.  Kasmith,  seeing  his  mistake  in  the  condi- 
tion of  membership  in  the  Y^oung  Men's  Societies,  sought 


Chap.  3,  B,  9.  rise  and  growth.  35 

to  correct  it.  On  the  fifth  of  March  the  following  recom- 
mendation was  adopted  at  his  instance,  by  the  managers 
of  the  British  and  Foreign  Mission  : 

"That  all  neio  societies  consist  exclusively  of  young  men  who 
give  evidence  of  union  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  that  the 
societies  already  formed  be  still  corresponded  with  and  encouraged . " 

The  name  of  the  society  was  changed  to  "  Christian 
Young  Men's  Union." 

Rev.  Dr.  Hallock,  late  secretary  of  the  American  Tract 
Society,  New  York,  says,  in  relation  to  the  Young  Men's 
Societies  formed  by  Nasmith  in  America: 

**  As  soon  as  they  were  formed  he  went  on  his  way,  and  I  believe 
the  fact  to  be,  that  not  one  city  mission,  or  one  Young  Men's  Society, 
formed  hy  him,  continued  long  in  successful  operation," 

A  few  of  these  societies,  however, — among  them  those 
at  Toronto  and  Montreal — were  active  for  some  years. 

8. — A  ''Society  for  Religious  Improvement"  was 
formed  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  by  Mr.  Nasmith,  in  1824. 
This  continued  in  existence  until  1876,  when  it  was  merged 
into  the  present  Glasgow  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion. 

9. — In  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  as  early  as  October  14,  1848, 
an  organization  was  effected  under  the  name  of  ''Young 
Men's  Society  of  Enquiry,"  which,  a  few  months  later, 
was  changed  to  "Cincinnati  Society  of  Religious  Inquiry." 
In  February,  1853,  this  society  added  to  its  name  the 
words  "and  Young  Men's  Christian  Union." 

Frequent  attempts  were  made  by  progressive  members 
of  the  society  at  Cincinnati  to  have  its  work  recognized 
as  distinctively  for  young  men,  but  were  not  thoroughly 
successful  until  1853,  nearly  two  years  after  the  organiza- 
tion of  Associations  at  Montreal,  Boston,  Buffalo,  Wash- 
ington, New  York  and  Baltimore.  It  was  not,  therefore, 
until  the  life  of  the  London  movement,  through  the 
Washington  and  Buffalo  Associations,  touched  the  society 
at  Cincinnati,  that  it  really  became  what  is  now  known  as 
a  Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 


36  RISE  AAD  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  C,  1. 


SECTION  C. 

INTRODUCTION    INTO    AMERICA,  AND  WORK     PRIOR     TO    THE 
CIVIL  WAR.* 

1. — Information  regarding  the  London  Association  soon 
reached  America.  Late  in  the  j^ear  1849,  an  attempt  was 
made  by  some  one  who  had  visited  the  London  Association 
to  cany  out  some  of  its  plans  in  Lowell,  Mass.  (See  Fifth 
Report  of  the  London  Association,  p.  29.)  But  the  first 
Association  organized  on  the  London  basis  was  that  of 
Montreal,  Dec.  9,  1851. 

The  first  in  the  United  States  was  organized  in  Boston, 
Dec.  29,  1851.  A  letter  under  date  of  June,  1850,  which 
appeared  in  the  *'  Watchman  and  Reflector,"  of  Boston, 
written  from  London  by  George  M.  Yanderlip,  a  student 
of  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  described  the 
the  work  of  the  London  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion and  led  to  the  organization  of  that  in  Boston.  This 
took  place  as  the  result  of  correspondence  with  Mr.  Ship- 
ton  of  London,  without  any  knowledge  of  the  organization 
at  Montreal.  During  the  following  year  kindred  Asso- 
ciations were  formed  in  several  other  cities. 

2. — Two  years  elapsed  before  any  systematic  effort  was 
made  to  bring  the  twenty-six  American  Associations, 
which  had  by  that  time  been  organized,  into  communica- 
tion with  one  another. 

William  Chauncy  Langdon,  then  a  layman  and  a  member 
of  the  Washington  Association,  afterwards  a  clergyman 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  conceived  the  idea  of 
bringing  the  isolated  Associations  into  a  bond  of  union. 
Some  feared  that  if  a  general  organization  were  effected, 
the  liberties  of  the  Associations  might  be  abridged  through 
its  interference  in  the  internal  affairs   of   the  individual 

*  A  statement  regardiDg  this  period,  fuU  of  interesting  details,  is  given  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Langdon  in  "The  eaily  story  of  the  Coufederatiou  of  the  Aesociations,"  Int. 
l^ph.  No.  16. 


Chap.  3,  C,  3.  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  37 

societies.  Extreme  sensitiveness  was  manifested  in  the 
larger  Associations  on  this  point.  To  overcome  sucli 
prejudices  and  objections  was  no  easy  task.  Mr.  Langdon 
providentially  proved  equal  to  the  work  he  had  set  his 
heart  upon.  He  conducted  the  delicate  negotiations  with 
indomitable  energy,  enthusiasm,  tact,  and  loving  devotion ; 
and  finally  triumphed.  Many  of  the  Associations  of 
America  owe  their  existence  to  the  organization  effected 
through  his  wise  foresight.  He  did  not  stop  here,  but 
initiated  correspondence  which  contributed  to  the  holding 
of  the  first  conference  of  the  Associations  of  all  lands  in 
Paris,  August  19-24,  1855.  At  this  conference  there  was 
adopted  at  his  suggestion  a  system  of  international  corre- 
spondence and  co-operation,  in  the  interest  of  which  he 
visited  the  Associations  in  Great  Britain,  France,  Germany, 
and  Switzerland  in  1857. 

The  Associations  in  all  lands  owe  a  lasting  debt  of 
gratitude  to  Dr.  Langdon. 

In  the  first  circular,  which  was  issued  February  28, 
1854,  and  signed  by  Oscar  Cobb,  of  Buffalo,  and  William 
Chauncy  Langdon,  of  Washington,  corresponding  secre- 
taries of  the  Associations  in  these  cities,  we  find  the 
following  : 

"It  is  now  proposed  to  call,  at  an  early  date,  a  convention  of 
delegates,  to  confer  together  relative  to  the  formation  of  an 
American  Young  Men's  Christian  Alliance,  a  union  of  independ- 
ent, equal,  but  co-operating  Associations,  and  to  secure  such 
uniformity  of  organization  and  action  as  may  be  thought  desir- 
able." 

The  circular  then  asks  whether  the  Associations  to 
which  it  was  addressed  would  favor  this  proposition. 
Sixteen  affirmative  and  four  negative  replies  were  received. 
The  latter,  however,  generally  expressed  a  willingness  to 
send  a  delegation,  if  in  the  minority.  Buffalo  was  selected 
as  the  place  of  meeting,  and  the  convention  assembled  in 
that  city  June  7,  1854. 

3. — Mr.  Langdon,  in  an  address  delivered  at  the  conven- 


38  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  C,  4. 

tion,  showed  that,  as  far  as  ascertained,  two  hundred  and  fi  f ty 
Associations  were  in    existence,   distributed  as  follows 
France,  39;  Germany,  100;  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  42 
Holland,    4;  Switzerland,   21;  Turkey,  2;  Australasia,   3 
Canada,  4;  United  States,  35. 

4. — This  convention  was  the  first  international  confer- 
ence of  the  Associations  ever  held,  and  the  first  conference 
of  any  kind  of  the  Associations  in  the  English-speaking 
world.  The  early  action  of  the  convention  was  un- 
favorable to  any  afiiliation  of  the  societies,  and  an  adjourn- 
ment without  reconsideration  of  the  subject  was  imminent. 
This  danger  was  averted  by  the  wise  course  of  the  Cincin- 
nati delegation,  under  the  leadership  of  William  H.  Neff, 
and  it  was  decided  to  form  an  organization.  A  Central 
Committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  eleven  members, 
with  headquarters  at  Washington,  five  members  being 
resident  in  Washington  and  one  in  each  of  the  following 
cities  :  Boston,  Cincinnati,  New  Orleans,  New  York,  St. 
Louis,  and  Toronto.  This  committee  was  instructed  to 
maintain  correspondence  with  American  and  foreign 
kindred  bodies  for  the  formation  of  new  Associations,  for 
the  collection  and  diffusion  of  appropriate  information, 
and  for  the  recommendation  from  time  to  time,  to  the 
local  Associations,  of  any  measures  that  seemed  likely  to 
promote  the  general  object.  No  authority  was  conferred 
on  the  Central  Committee  to  commit  any  local  organiza- 
tion to  any  proposed  plan  of  action  until  approved  by  it, 
nor  to  make  any  pecuniary  assessments  upon  the  Associa- 
tions  without  their  consent.  The  organization  was  styled: 
*' The  North  American  Confederation  of  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations."  It  was  not  until  January  15, 
1855,  that  the  requisite  number  of  Associations,  twenty- 
two,  gave  in  their  adhesion  to  the  establishment  of  the 
confederation.  With  this  convention  began  the  organized 
affiliated  life  of  the  American  Associations.  Humanly 
speaking,  had  it  not  been  for  this  organization,  resulting 
from  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Langdon,  the  historian  even  now 


Chap.  B,  C,  6.  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  39 

would  probably  be  compelled  to  say  of  the  American  Asso- 
ciations, as  he  says  of  the  seventy  Nasmith  societies, 
simply  that  they  have  ceased  to  exist. 

5. — The  seventh  and  last  convention  of  the  confedera- 
tion was  held  in  New  Orleans,  April  11-16,  1860.  Byitsvote 
St.  Louis  was  selected  as  the  meeting  place  of  the  eighth 
convention;  but  owing  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil 
war,  in  April,  1861,  no  such  gathering  was  held  in  1861  or 
1862. 

6. — A  careful  analysis  of  the  methods  of  work  pursued  by 
the  Associations  in  America,  prior  to  1861,  shows  that,  in 
the  main,  their  work  was  kindred  to  that  of  the  Nasmith 
societies,  which  existed  for  purposes  of  "  mutual  improve- 
ment and  benevolent  exertion."  Some  of  them,  however, 
emphasized  distinctive  work  for  young  men  to  an  extent 
previously  unknown.  The  confederated  Associations, 
though  not  uniform  with  each  other  in  their  methods  of 
work,  Avere  on  a  better  platform  than  the  Nasmith  soci- 
eties. Christian  character  and  membership  in  evangelical 
churches  constituted  the  test  of  active  membership  in  a 
large  number  of  them. 

The  report  of  the  last  convention  of  the  confederated 
Associations*  shows  that  two  hundred  and  three  Associa- 
tions were  then  believed  to  be  in  existence  in  America. 
Only  sixty-nine  reported;  sixty-four  of  these  sustained 
prayer  meetings;  fifteen,  Bible  classes;  thirty-four,  mis- 
sion schools;  thirty  arranged  for  the  delivery  of  sermons; 
thirty-five  maintained  courses  of  lectures;  forty-eight 
had  libraries;  thirty-eight,  reading  rooms;  eighteen,  lit- 
erary societies;  fifty-four  reported  their  activity  as  on  the 
increase.  The  Associations  also  conducted  singing  soci- 
eties; evening  and  mission  schools;  visitation  and  alms- 
giving among  the  destitute;  general  tract  distribution; 
and  gospel  meetings  among  soldiers  and  sailors,  in  alms- 

*  The  reports  of  tbe  series  of  Interna' ional  Conventions,  together  with  the 
Year  Books  issued  by  the  International  Committee,  constitute  the  most  important 
source  of  information  regarding  the  progress  of  the  Associations, 


40  RIS2  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  B,  1. 

houses,  hospitals  and  homes  for  the  aged,  and  in  villages 
and  outlying  districts.  There  was  very  little  in  their 
work  to  attract  to  their  rooms  and  meetings  young  men 
who  were  not  Christians;  and,  with  rare  exceptions,  little 
direct  effort  was  made  for  the  conversion  of  young  men. 
The  most  aggressive  effort  in  this  direction  was  by  the 
Associations  of  Boston,  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 


SECTION  D. 

ARMY     WORK. 

1. — When  the  war  broke  out,  the  membership  of  the 
Associations  became  greatly  depleted,  and  many  of  them 
died.  The  New  York  Association  appointed  an  army 
committee.  May  27,  1861,  to  carry  forward  religious  work 
in  the  camps  and  barracks  in  and  about  the  city.  A  mem- 
ber of  that  committee,  Vincent  Collyer,  while  visiting  the 
soldiers  in  the  vicinity  of  Washington,  became  deeply  im- 
pressed with  the  importance  of  a  mission  on  the  part  of 
the  Associations  to  the  army.  Two  circulars  were  sent 
out  by  the  New  York  Association,  one  in  September  and 
the  other  in  October,  1861,  urging  the  importance  of  sys- 
tematizinor  and  extendino^  such  Christian  efforts  on  the 
part  of  the  various  Associations. 

2. — Through  the  urgency  of  the  New  York  Association 
the  Central  Committee  called,  in  October,  1861,  a  special 
convention  of  the  Associations  of  the  North  to  meet  at  the 
rooms  of  the  New  York  Association,  November  14  and  15. 
Fifteen  Associations  were  represented  at  this  meeting,  and 
the  United  States  Christian  Commission,  consisting  of 
twelve  gentlemen  from  eight  leading  cities,  was  formed. 
This  commission  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  beneficent 
agencies  ever  devised  to  alleviate  the  miseries  and  horrors 
of  war.  It  co-operated  with  and  supjilemented  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  which  was  a  purely  secular  agency. 
During  the  next  four  years  the  commission   received   and 


Chap.  S,  E,  1.  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  41 

distributed  voluntary  contributions  of  stores  worth  nearly 
three  millions  of  dollars,  and  two  and  a  half  millions  of 
dollars  in  money.  Nearly  five  thousand  Christian  men 
and  women  were  sent  as  helpers  both  in  hospital  and 
gospel  work,  for  such  periods  of  time  as  they  volun- 
teered their  services.  This  work  belonged  distinctively 
to  the  Associations  only  in  its  origin.  They  aided  it  all 
they  could  through  their  army  committees.  But  the  com- 
mission commanded  the  practical  sympathy  and  support 
of  the  Christian  public.  The  Associations  in  the  South, 
notably  those  in  Richmond  and  Charleston,  did  good 
service  in  the  Confederate  army,  but  not  in  any  general 
organized  capacity.  Until  the  close  of  the  war  the  Asso- 
ciations of  both  the  North  and  South  devoted  most  of 
their  energies  to  work  among  the  soldiers,  and  greatly 
neglected  work  among  the  young  men  who  remained  at 
home. 


SECTION  E. 

RESUMPTION"    OF    HOME    WORK. 

1. — The  confederation  of  the  Associations  continued 
nominally  in  existence  until  1863.  During  its  early  years 
its  leadership  and  main  support  came  from  Washington, 
Buffalo,  and  Cincinnati.  Later,  Richmond  and  Charles- 
ton vigorously  co-operated.  New  York  and  Boston 
withheld  all  official  sympathy  and  co-operation,  and 
the  confederation  was  organized  without  them.  The 
New  York  Association  did  not  formally  assent  to  the 
articles  of  confederation  until  1859.  Members  of  the 
New  York  Association,  however,  attended  several  of  the 
early  conventions,  and  in  1854  one  of  them,  Richard  C. 
McCormick,  made  a  tour  among  the  Associations  of  the 
old  world  ;  visiting  those  in  England,  Scotland,  Ireland, 
France,  Switzerland,  Italy,  and  Syria.  On  his  return  he 
made  an  extended  report,  describing  in  detail  their 
methods   and  agencies.     His   interest   in  the  Association 


42  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  E,  2. 

movement  led  to  his  editing  the  "  Young  Men's  Magazine," 
(May,  1857  to  April,  1859,)  a  j^ublication  devoted  to 
tlie  interests  of  young  men  and  Young  Men's  Christian 
Associations. 

The  eighth  convention,  held  in  Chicago,  June  4-7, 
1863,  refused,  by  a  test  vote,  to  recognize  tlie  qualifi- 
cations established  by  the  confederation,  as  qualifications 
for  membership  in  that  convention.  Thus  ended  the  life 
of  the  confederation. 

2. — Very  little  business  was  transacted  at  the  Chicago 
meeting,  except  such  as  related  to  the  work  of  the 
Christian  Commission,  and  yet  there  were  indications  in 
favor  of  the  maintenance  of  distinct  work  among  young 
men  at  home,  which  found  utterance  in  the  following 
resolutions,  presented  by  Rev.  Henry  C.  Potter,  then  of 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  now  bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  for  the  diocese  of  New  York  : 

'*  Besolvedf  That  the  interests  and  welfare  of  young  men  in  our 
cities  demand  now,  as  heretofore,  the  steadfast  sympathies  and 
efforts  of  the  Christian  Associaiions  of  our  country,  and  that  it 
behooves  us  as  members  of  this  convention,  interested  in  the  well- 
being  of  society  and  the  salvation  of  souls,  to  see  to  it  that  the 
special  duties  and  anxieties  of  the  hour  do  not  draw  away  our 
friends  from  the  work  which  is  to  be  done  at  home. 

**  Resolved,  That  the  various  means  by  which  Christian  Associa- 
tions can  gain  a  hold  upon  young  men,  and  preserve  thera  from 
unhealthy  companionship  and  the  deteriorating  influences  of  our 
large  cities,  ought  to  engage  our  most  earnest  and  prayerful  con- 
sideration. 

*' Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  consider  the 
question  how  far  our  Christian  Associations  may  be  made  the 
means  of  welcoming  young  men  to  our  cities,  and  securing  for 
them  the  sheltering  influences  of  Christian  homes  and  refinement, 
and  elevating  social  relations ;  how  far  our  Associations  may  be 
made  the  means  of  furnishing  wholesome  relaxation  and  recrea- 
tion to  young  men ;  and  finally,  whether  they  ought  not  to  be, 
more  than  they  are,  the  instrument  of  rescuing  young  men  from 
lives  of  dissipation  and  irreligiou,  and  engaging  them  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Church,  and,  as  brethren,  in  the  cause  of  our  common 
Master." 


Chap.  3,  E,  4.  rise  and  growth.  43 

3. — These  resolutions  resulted  in  the  presenting  of  an  essay 
at  the  next  convention,  held  in  Boston,  June  1-5,  1864,  by- 
Rev.  Henry  C.  Potter,  on  "  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciations— what  is  their  work,  and  how  shall  they  perforin 
it  ? "  Elaborating  the  position  taken  in  the  resolutions 
above  cited,  he  said  : 

"We  shall  be  wise  and  equitable,  only  as  we  let  our  work  at 
home  and  abroad" — referring  to  the  army — "go  hand  in  hand, 
but  let  us  see  to  it  that  w^e  neglect  neither.  There  are  countless 
undertakings  in  which  we  may,  if  we  choose,  employ  ourselves;  all 
of  them,  doubtless,  having  some  good  and  desirable  end  in  view; 
but  the  question  for  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  ought 
surely  to  be  this:  '  How  can  most  be  done  for  young  men  ? '  Happy 
shall  we  be,  if  by  God's  blessing  upon  our  poor  endeavors,  we  can 
help  save  our  youth,  and  in  these  anxious  and  eventful  hours,  raise 
up  for  the  defense  of  truth  and  freedom  and  the  cause  of  Christ,  a 
mighty  and  resistless  host  of  regenerate  and  Christian  young  men." 

The  essay  produced  a  deep  impression  on  the  delegates; 
it  was  printed  in  the  minutes  of  the  convention,  and  re- 
printed in  Germany  and  France.  In  our  land  it  was  the 
means  of  awakening  renewed  interest  in  legitimate  work 
by  the  Associations  for  young  men  in  the  towns  in  which 
they  were  established,  but  as  the  war  was  still  raging  the 
return  to  it  was  delayed. 

4. — The  tenth  convention,  held  in  Philadelphia,  June 
7-11,  1865,  showed  that  the  progress  in  the  line  of  dis- 
tinctive work  for  young  men  had  been  very  slow.  The 
time  of  the  convention  was  occupied  largely  with  the  work 
of  the  Christian  Commission  and  the  presentation  of 
various  methods  of  work  quite  foreign  to  the  object  of  the 
Associations. 

It  was  not  until  the  last  evening  session  that  the  con- 
vention intelligently  considered  the  practical  work  of 
Young  Men's  Christian  Associations.  The  following  topics 
were  discussed  at  that  session  : 

"  The  best  methods  of  bringing  young  men  in  cities  under  the 
influence  of  the  Association. 

"The  best  means  of  making  the  monthly  meetings  of  Asso- 
ciations interesting  and  profitable. 


44  RISE  AXD  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  E,  5. 

"Are  literary  classes  desirable — and  if  so,  how  should  they 
be  conducted? 

**  How  shall  young  men  be  best  employed  and  retained  in  Asso- 
ciations? 

*'  What  means  shall  be  employed  by  Associations  for  improving 
the  social  condition  of  young  men — that  being  one  of  the  declared 
objects  of  these  organizations?" 

The  discussion  of  these  topics  made  that  Saturday- 
evening  session  one  of  the  memorable  meetings  of  our 
conventions,  and  introduced  a  new  method,  which  has 
since  been  widely  observed;  namely,  the  arrangement  of 
topics  bearing  directly  upon  the  work  of  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations  by  and  for  young  men,  and  open 
for  discussion  to  all  the  delegates  attending  the  conven- 
tion. Prior  to  that  time,  it  had  been  customary  to  refer  to 
committees  for  report  all  questions  presented  by  individual 
members,    instead  of   discussing   them  in  the    convention. 

5. — The  re-awakening  of  the  Associations  to  work  at 
home,  for  young  men  by  young  men,  dates  from  the 
Albany  Convention,  June  1-6,  1866. 

Cephas  Brainerd  (president  of  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
vention), in  his  remarks  calling  the  convention  to  order, 
amplified  and  emphasized  the  views  he  had  advocated  on 
the  floor  of  the  Boston  Convention  in  1864.     He  said: 

"  Our  future  progress  rests  upon  a  hearty  adoption  of  certain 
obvious  and  unquestionable  propositions  : 

*'  First — An  unswerving  devotion  to  the  primary  objects  and 
aims  of  these  Associations — the  social,  mental  and  religious  im- 
provement of  young  men.  As  organizations,  with  these  avowed 
objects,  we  challenge  attention  ;  as  seeking  these  ends  we  are 
prominently  before  the  world ;  because  of  these  things  we  are 
what  we  are.  When  we  deviate  from  them,  we  trench  upon 
ground  assigned  to  others.  But  in  all  this,  care  should  be  taken 
not  to  confine  our  efforts  to  the  measure  of  a  dry,  cold,  lifeless 
plan.  They  should  be  conceived  in  a  spirit  of  sound  philosophy, 
and  embrace  our  objects  in  their  largest  scope.  Nor,  while  we 
cling  to  our  main  idea,  should  we  neglect  temporary  or  occasional 
service  of  a  more  general  character,  or  special  calls  in  our  par- 
ticular localities.  The  young  men  taught  to  love  Christ  in  our 
meetings  should  always  find  some  work  for  their  hands  awaiting 


Chap.  3,  E,  5.  rise  and  growth.  45 

the  new-borD  zeal.  Still  the  primary  idea  and  object  should  be 
paramount  to  all. 

*^  Second — A  constant  remembrance  of  the  principle  which  has 
enabled  us  for  so  lon^  a  period  to  work  all  the  machinery  of  these 
societies  without  denominational  or  sectarian  jars.  This  lies  in  a 
persistent  contemplation  and  discussion,  not  of  the  principles  of 
our  organizations  and  the  how  or  the  why  sects  and  denominations 
are  here  exemplifying  the  highest  type  of  Christian  unity,  but  of 
the  work  before  us,  and  a  steady  effort  to  command  all  the  means 
necessary  for  its  accomplishment. 

"  Third — And  then  in  a  complete  adoption  in  heart  and  life,  of 
the  spirit  of  the  deliverance  of  the  Montreal  Convention  :  'That 
the  vitality  of  our  Associations  can  be  perpetuated  only  by  the 
active  efforts  of  the  members  in  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer,' — to 
which  I  would  add,  especially  in  behalf  of  young  men." 

Mr.  Brainerd  impressed  these  ideas  so  clearly  and 
forcibly  upon  the  minds  of  the  members  of  the  conven- 
tion, and  of  young  men  in  the  Associations  who  read 
the  report  of  his  address,  that  from  the  opening  session 
of  that  convention  there  went  forth  clearer  views  of 
Association  work  by  young  men  for  young  men,  and  with 
God's  blessing,  a  more  earnest  purpose  to  accomplish  the 
objects  of  these  societies. 

In  many  respects  this  convention  marked  a  new  era 
in  Association  work,  (a)  Sucli  sentiment  was  awakened 
there  that  methods  outside  of  direct  work  for  young  men 
by  young  men  began  to  lose  the  place  and  hold  which 
they  had  on  the  minds  of  the  members.  {b)  An  annual 
day  of  prayer  for  young  men  and  Young  Men's  Christian 
Associations  was  appointed  and  has  since  been  observed 
(see  Chap.  32,  C.  12).  (c)  State  and  Provincial  Conven- 
tions were  recommended.  (d)  The  publication  of  a 
"  Quarterly  "  was  ordered,  (e)  The  Executive  Committee 
was  located  at  New  York. 


46  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  F,  1. 

SECTION  F. 

DEVELOPMENT    OF    THE    WORK.* 

1. — The  international  organization,  as  has  been  stated, 
from  1854  to  1863  consisted  of  the  confederated  Associa- 
tions. The  conventions  met  annually,  and.  appointed  a 
Central  Committee  to  publish  the  proceedings,  to  call  the 
next  convention,  to  correspond  with  American  and  foreign 
Associations  and  to  promote  the  organization  of  new  Asso- 
ciations. 

Tlie  Central  Committee  consisted  at  first  of  eleven  and 
afterwards  of  twelve  members,  five  of  whom  were  resident 
in  the  city  selected  as  the  head-quarters.  The  United 
States  and  Canada  were  districted,  and  one  member  of  the 
committee  placed  in  charge  of  each  district.  This  practice 
prevailed  until  the  Troy  Convention  in  1859,  after  which 
the  committee  consisted  only  of  five  resident  members. 

At  the  Chicago  Convention,  held  in  1863,  the  committee 
was  named  the  Executive  Committee,  and  was  increased 
by  one  member  from  each  state,  district,  territory,  and 
province. 

At  the  following  convention,  that  of  Boston  in  1864, 
it  was  made  to  consist  of  five  members,  with  a  correspond- 
ing member  from  each  state,  district,  territory  and  prov- 
ince. 

The  same  general  plan  of  organization  continued  in 
operation  until  the  Richmond  Convention  in  1875,  when 
the  committee  was  made  to  consist  of  twenty-four  mem- 
bers, nine  being  resident  and  fifteen  non-resident. 

At  Baltimore,  in  1879,  it  was  named,  by  formal  vote, 
"  The  International  Committee," — a  designation  which  for 
years  had  been  popularly  applied  to  it. 

At  Milwaukee,  in  1883,  the  committee  was  increased  to 
thirty-three  members,  ten  being  resident  and  twenty-three 
non-resident,  and  was  divided  into  three  classes    of  eleven 

*  See  also  Chaps.  31  and  32. 


Chap.  3,  F,  2.  rise  and  growth.  47 

members  each,  the  first  class  to  hold  ofiice  for  two  years, 
the  second  for  four  years,  and  the  third  for  six  years. 
Nine  advisory  members  were  also  elected.  An  act  incor- 
porating the  International  Committee,  authorized  by  the 
previous  convention  and  passed  by  the  legislature  of  tlie 
State  of  New  York,  was  accepted  by  the  convention  and 
adopted. 

At  Kansas  City,  in  1891,  the  committee  was  increased 
to  thirty-nine  members. 

The  committee  was  itinerated  from  city  to  city  until 
the  Albany  Convention  in  1866,  being  located  for  one  year 
at  Buffalo,  one  at  Washington,  two  at  Cincinnati,  two  at 
Buffalo,  one  at  Richmond,  four  at  Philadelphia,  one  at 
Boston,  and  one  at  Philadelphia.  Since  1866  the  head- 
quarters of  the  committee  has  been  in  New  York  City. 

The  plan  on  which  the  Central  Committee,  and,  at  its 
discontinuance,  the  International  Committee  was  appointed 
was  that  of  direct  representation  of  the  Associations,  fol- 
lowing the  precedent  of  the  national  house  of  representa- 
tives. 

2. — In  1856  the  Montreal  Convention  ratified  what  has 
become  famous  as  the  "Paris  Basis."  This  had  been 
adopted  by  the  first  World's  Conference  of  the  Associa- 
tions held  at  Paris  in  1855,  largely  through  the  suggestion 
and  advocacy  of  an  American  delegate.  Rev.  Abel  Stevens, 
of  New  York,  afterwards  widely  known  as  the  author  of 
the  "  History  of  Methodism."     It  is  as  follows  : — 

"The  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  seek  to  unite  those 
young  men  who,  regarding  Jesus  Christ  as  their  God  and  Savior, 
according  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  desire  to  be  his  disciples,  in  their 
doctrine  and  in  their  life,  and  to  associate  their  efforts  for  the  ex- 
tension of  his  kingdom  among  young  men." 

In  1866,  the  Albany  Convention  ratified  what  is  known 
as  the  "  Elberfeld  Declaration,"  which  had  been  adopted 
by  the  World's  Conference  at  Elberfeld,  Germany,  in  1865, 
as  follows  : 

"  First— That  it  is  one  of  the  chief  duties  of  the  Young  Men's 


48  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  F,  2. 

Christian  Associations  to  awaken,  preserve,  and  advance  the  com- 
munion of  Ciiristian  Ufe  among  young  men. 

**  Second — That  this  communion  of  Christian  Hfe  can  only  be 
truly  healthy  and  blessed  when  it  comes  from  the  true  communion 
of  the  heart  with  God. 

'*  Third — That  the  Associations  have,  before  all  things,  to  strive 
that  this  communion  with  God  be  awakened  amongst  young  men 
by  faithful  use  of  the  means  of  grace  and  diligent  study  of  God's 
word. 

"  Fourth — That  this  conference  can  only  regard  those  Associa- 
tions as  having  the  true  principles  of  association  before  them, 
•which  cherish  this  communion  of  Christian  life,  resulting  from 
the  hidden  communion  of  the  heart  with  God." 

The  committee  appointed  at  the  Portland  Convention 
in  1869,  to  consider  the  report  of  the  Executive  Committee, 
made  a  variety  of  recommendations,  one  of  which  called 
for  a  re-affirmation  of  the  resolution  adopted  at  the  pre- 
ceding convention,  at  Detroit,  defining  the  qualifications 
for  active  membership  in  the  Associations.  It  read  as 
follows  : 

**  That,  as  these  organizations  bear  the  name  of  Christian  and 
profess  to  be  engaged  directly  in  the  Savior's  service,  so  it  is  clearly 
their  duty  to  maintain  the  control  and  management  of  all  their 
affairs  in  the  hands  of  those  who  profess  to  love  and  publicly 
avow  their  faith  in  Jesus,  the  Redeemer,  as  divine,  and  who  testify 
their  faith  by  becoming  and  remaining  members  of  churches 
held  to  be  evangelical ;  and  that  such  persons,  and  none  others, 
should  be  allowed  to  vote  or  hold  office." 

An  inquiry  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  term  "  evangelical 
church  "  resulted  in  the  appointment  of  the  following  com- 
mittee to  define  what  the  convention  understood  by  those 
words  :  Howard  Crosby,  D.  D.,  New  York  City  ;  Rev. 
S.  H.  Lee,  Greenfield,  Mass.;  Rev.  G.  M.  Grant,  Halifax, 
K  S.;  Rev.  H.  C.  Kellogg,  Jr.,  Providence,  R.  L,  and 
General  O.  O.  Howard,  AVashington,  D.  C. 

The  committee's  report,  which  was  unanimously  adopt- 
ed, recommended  the  re-affirmation  of  the  Detroit  resolu- 
tion, and  presented  the  following  definition: 

"And  we  hold  those  churches  to  be  evangelical  which,  main- 
taining the  Holy  Scriptures  to  be  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith 


Chap.  3,  F,  3.  rise  and  growth.  49 

and  practice,  do  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (the  only  begot- 
ten Son  of  the  Father,  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  in  wliom 
dwelleth  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  and  who  was  made 
sin  for  us,  though  knowing  no  sin,  bearing  our  sins  in  his  own 
body  on  the  tree),  as  the  only  'name  under  heaven,  given  among 
men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved'  from  everlasting  punishment." 

The  following  resolution  was  also  adopted  defining  the 
qualifications  needed  by  Associations  for  representation  in 
future  conventions  : 

^^  Resolved,  That  the  Associations  organized  after  this  date,  shall 
be  entitled  to  representation  in  future  conferences  of  the  associated 
Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  of  North  America,  upon  con- 
dition that  they  be  severally  composed  of  young  men  in  commu- 
nion with  evangelical  churches  (provided  that  in  places  where 
Associations  are  formed  by  a  single  denomination,  members  of 
other  denominations  are  not  excluded  therefrom),  and  active 
membership  and  the  right  to  hold  office  be  conferred  only  upon 
young  men  who  are  members  in  good  standing  of  evangelical 
churches." 

The  adoption  of  these  rules  at  Portland  gave  members 
and  ministers  of  evangelical  churches  a  confidence  in  the 
Association  movement  which  they  had  not  had  in  it  before, 
and  since  that  convention  the  prosperity  of  the  Associa- 
tions has  steadily  increased. 

3. — a.  The  committee  from  its  appointment  in  1866  car- 
ried on  a  vigorous  correspondence  with  existing  Associa- 
tions and  with  its  corresponding  members,  edited  the 
"  Quarterly,"  and  sent  representatives  to  the  State  Conven- 
tions, without  the  assistance  of  any  paid  agents,  until  the 
Detroit  Convention  in  1868.  During  the  year  preceding 
that  convention,  a  friend  residing  in  Chicago  urged  upon  a 
member  of  the  committee  the  importance  of  seeking  to 
reach  and  influence  the  young  men  in  the  towns  rapidly 
forming  along  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.  The 
member  to  whom  this  statement  was  made  was  so  deeply 
impressed  that  he  immediately  solicited  contributions  to 
enable  the  committee  to  undertake  the  work.  The  matter 
was  brought  before  the  Detroit  Convention  and  the  com- 
mittee  was  instructed   to  employ  an  agent  to  aid  in  the 


50  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  F.  3. 

organization  of  Associations  on  the  line  of  that  road,  and 
in  such  other  sections  as  might  be  determined  upon  by  the 
committee  after  mature  deliberation.  Robert  Weidensall, 
of  Omaha,  Neb.,  was  engaged  for  this  service,  and  has  de- 
voted himself  since  that  time  to  the  organization  and 
development  of  the  Associations,  chiefly  in  the  states  west 
of  Ohio. 

h.  At  the  Portland  Convention,  in  1869,  the  committee 
was  instructed  to  make  the  "Quarterly"  a  monthly,  and 
to  employ  a  person  to  act  as  the  secretary  of  the  committee 
and  to  perform  editorial  and  other  duties.  In  December, 
1869,  the  committee  secured  Richard  C.  Morse  for  this 
joint  service.  For  two  years  his  time  was  chiefly  occupied 
in  editing  and  publishing  the  "  Association  Monthly,"  but 
in  December,  1871,  the  need  of  his  services  as  secretary  led 
the  committee  to  request  Mr.  Morse  to  devote  his  entire 
time  to  the  secretaryship,  the  committee  undertaking 
to  carry  on  the  "  Monthly,"  which  was  continued  for 
about  a  year  longer.  Mr.  Morse  visited  extensively  among 
the  Associations,  attending  the  State  Conventions,  and  be- 
coming thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  condition  and 
development  of  Association  work.  As  various  departments 
have  been  added  by  the  conventions  to  the  committee's 
work,  the  general  superintendence  of  that  work  has  re- 
quired him  to  spend  more  time  at  the  central  office. 

c.  In  March,  1870,  a  systematic  visitation  of  the  Associa- 
tions in  the  South  was  undertaken.  Wm.  F.  Lee,  then  a 
member  of  the  committee,  and  George  A.  Hall,  then  secre- 
tary of  the  Washington  Association,  visited  twenty  im- 
portant points  in  the  South,  for  the  purpose  of  stimulating 
existing  Associations,  and  reorganizing  others  that  had 
disbanded.  In  1875  and  1876,  Thomas  K.  Cree,  as  a  vol- 
unteer, and  George  A.  Hall,  and  in  1877,  S.  A.  Taggart, 
State  Secretary  of  Pennsylvania,  made  similar  visits. 

In  the  summer  of  1876  Mr.  Cree  became  a  secretary  of 
the  committee.  He  had  already  performed  valuable  service 
in  Association  work,  as  general  secretary  of  the  Pittsburgh 


Chap.  3,  F,  3.  rise  And  growth.  51 

Association,  as  corresponding  member  for  Pennsylvania  of 
the  International  Committee,  and  as  chairman  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania State  Committee.  Much  of  his  time  since  his 
connection  with  the  committee  has  been  occupied  in  re- 
organizing Associations  and  raising  funds  for  the  employ- 
ment of  secretaries,  for  the  erection  of  buildings,  and  for 
the  payment  of  debts  on  them. 

In  1875,  Erskine  Uhl,  general  secretary  of  the  Pough- 
keepsie,  N.  Y.,  Association,  became  an  office  secretary  of 
the  committee. 

d.  Through  the  reformation  of  a  railroad  employe  at 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  a  work  was  begun  for  railroad  men  in 
the  union  depot  there,  by  the  holding  of  a  preaching  ser- 
vice on  Sunday.  For  a  time  the  city  pastors  conducted 
these  services,  but  soon,  and  partly  at  their  suggestion,  the 
Cleveland  Association  undertook  and  heartily  entered 
upon  the  work.  The  managers  of  the  roads  centering  in 
the  depot  fitted  up  a  reading  and  meeting  room.  The 
work  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  first  railroad 
branch  of  a  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  in  1872. 
It  may  be  mentioned  that  during  some  twenty-five  years 
previous,  considerable  money  and  effort  had  been  expended 
by  railroad  managers  upon  libraries  and  reading  rooms  for 
their  employes;  but  comparatively  little  interest  had  been 
awakened,  and  no  satisfactory  or  permanent  results  had 
followed. 

At  the  Poughkeepsie  Convention,  but  five  minutes  were 
given  to  the  secretary  of  the  Cleveland  branch  for  the 
presentation  of  the  railroad  work.  At  the  next  con- 
vention, at  Dayton  in  1874,  Association  work  among 
railroad  employes  was  submitted  as  a  topic  for  discussion. 
In  addition  to  continued  success  at  Cleveland,  the  Chicago 
Association  reported  a  depot  reading  room,  with  religious 
services;  and  the  Erie  Association  reported  the  holding  of 
Sunday  afternoon  meetings  for  railroad  men  in  the  round 
house.  At  the  Richmond  Convention,  the  following  year, 
this  topic  was  more  thoroughly  discussed.     The  committee 


52  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  F,  3. 

of  the  Cleveland  railroad  branch  stated  that  $1,800  had 
been  raised  for  the  purpose  of  putting  Lang  Sheaff  into 
the  field,  and  offered  9  portion  of  his  time  for  the  work  of 
visitation  at  important  railroad  centres,  provided  the  con- 
vention would  authorize  the  Executive  Committee  to  direct 
his  labors.  The  convention  adopted  a  resolution  express- 
ing its  sense  of  the  great  importance  of  the  work  among 
railroad  men,  and  urging  its  vigorous  prosecution  by  the 
Executive  Committee.  During  1875  the  Cleveland  rail- 
road committee  placed  Mr.  Sheaff  at  the  service  of  the 
committee  for  five  months,  and  he  effected  several  organiza- 
tions. This  result  was  reported  to  the  Toronto  Convention, 
in  1876,  the  committee  regretting  that  further  visitation 
was  prevented  by  lack  of  funds,  and  urging  that  *'  It  is  the 
plain  duty  of  the  convention  to  provide  its  representatives 
with  the  means  necessary  for  the  employment  of  a  visitor, 
at  least  for  the  present  year.'''*  The  committee  also  made 
this  statement  :  "  When  once  thoroughly  organized  it  is 
believed  that  the  railroad  corporations  would  quite  gener- 
ally see  it  to  be  for  their  interest  to  maintain  the  good 
work." 

But  it  was  not  until  1877,  when  E.  D.  IngersoU  was 
employed  as  secretary  for  work  in  this  special  department, 
that  its  extension  was  permanently  prosecuted.  After  his 
resignation  in  1887,  on  account  of  impaired  health,this  work 
was  carried  on  for  two  years  by  H.  F.  Williams,  and  is  now 
in  charge  of  C.  J.  Hicks  and  C.  L.  Gates. 

The  railroad  companies  are  so  impressed  with  the  im- 
provement effected  in  their  employes  and  the  increased 
care  of  their  property,  resulting  from  this  work,  that  they 
are  now  appropriating  a  large  sum  annually  (in  1890  about 
$100,000)  for  its  maintenance.     (See  Chap.  29,  B.) 

e.  In  1870,  Mr.  Weidensall,  through  instructions  re- 
ceived from  the  committee,  undertook  work  among  Ger- 
man-speaking young  men  at  St.  Louis,  where  he  succeeded 
in  effecting  an  organization.  The  importance  of  such 
work  was  presented  at  the  conventions  of  1870,  1871,  and 


Chap.  3,  F,  3.  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  53 

1872.  At  the  Dayton  Convention,  in  1874,  the  presenta- 
tion of  the  German  work  made  a  strong  impression,  notably 
through  the  earnest  appeals  of  William  Nast,  D.D.,  and 
Rev.  Frederic  von  Schluembach.  During  the  next  four 
years  Mr.  von  Schluembach  spent  a  portion  of  each  year  in 
German  work  for  the  committee,  and  from  the  fall  of  1878 
to  the  fall  of  1881  devoted  his  whole  time  to  it.  A  Ger- 
man National  Bund  was  organized  during  this  period,  but 
soon  ceased  to  exist,  as  it  became  evident  that  work  for 
German-speaking  young  men  could  best  be  carried  on  in 
close  affiliation  with  the  Associations  as  already  organized 
locally,  and  in  State  and  International  Conventions. 

Since  January,  1882,  Claus  Olandt,  Jr.,  has  served  as 
German  Secretary.     (See  Chap.  29,  D.) 

f.  In  1858  students  in  the  Universities  of  Michigan 
and  Virginia,  without  any  knowledge  of  each  others' 
action,  organized  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  in 
these  institutions,  the  former  prior  to  June,  the  latter  in 
October.  Other  Associations  followed,  and  in  1876  there 
were  some  twenty-five,  with  an  aggregate  membership  of 
about  2,500.  These  were  by  no  means  the  earliest  relig- 
ious societies  among  students.  The  Association  in  Prince- 
ton College  became  such  by  altering  but  a  single  article 
in  the  constitution  of  a  society  a  hundred  years  old.  But 
the  early  societies  were  without  similarity  of  methods  or 
the  stimulus  of  fraternal  corresj)on deuce  with  like  societies 
in  other  institutions  and  in  the  outside  world. 

As  early  as  1871  Mr.  Weidensall  organized  College  As- 
sociations, and  visited  those  already  existing.  Through 
his  efforts  students  attended,  as  delegates,  the  Interna- 
tional Conventions  held  between  1871  and  1876.  Largely 
through  the  influence  of  L.  D.  Wishard,  a  student  in 
Princeton  College  from  Indiana,  who  had  become  in- 
terested in  Association  work  in  that  state,  the  religious 
organization  of  that  college,  as  already  mentioned,  was 
placed  upon  the  platform  of  the  xA.ssociations  in  1877.  At 
the  suggestion  of  William  E.  Dodge,  Jr.,  of  New  York,  the 


54  RISE  ANB  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  P,  3, 

Princeton  organization  asked  permission  of  the  committee 
to  invite  to  the  next  International  Convention,  at  Louis- 
ville in  1877,  delegates  from  the  colleges  of  the  country, 
without  reference  to  Associations  having  been  formed  in 
them.  Such  permission  was  granted,  and  in  response  to  the 
invitation  twenty-five  students  were  sent  as  representatives 
from  twenty-one  colleges  in  eleven  states.  Their  confer- 
ence together  inaugurated  a  system  of  intercollegiate  co- 
operation that  has  greatly  stimulated,  broadened,  and  uni- 
fied Christian  work  in  colleges  ;  as  is  shown  by  the  great 
increase  in  the  number  of  Associations,  many  of  them  in 
colleges  where  previously  no  systematic  Christian  work 
was  done.  In  the  Louisville  Convention  the  student  dele- 
gates urged  that  the  International  Committee  be  instructed 
to  place  a  College  Secretary  in  the  field.  Mr.  Wishard 
was  induced  to  accept  the  position,  and  entered  on  its 
duties  in  September,  1877.  After  eleven  years  of  success- 
ful service,  he  was  granted  leave  of  absence  that  he  might 
carrj'-  out  a  long  cherished  plan  of  visitation  among  the 
College  Associations  of  foreign  mission  lands.  (See  Chap. 
33,  10). 

g.  At  the  Toronto  Convention,  in  1876,  the  delegates 
from  the  South  urged  the  importance  of  work  among  col- 
ored young  men  in  that  section.  Stuart  Robinson,  D.  D., 
of  Louisville,  Ky.,  led  the  discussion  and  made  the  first 
contribution  to  place  an  agent  in  the  field  for  that  pur- 
pose. In  1879  Henry  Edwards  Brown  became  secretary 
in  charge  of  this  department,  since  which  time  a  number 
of  Associations  have  been  organized  among  colored  young 
men,  chiefly  in  colleges  and  academies.  Advance  has  been 
made  slowly  and  with  great  caution.  Associations  have 
been  formed  in  schools  only  with  the  hearty  concurrence 
of  the  principals,  and  in  towns  after  securing  the  approval 
of  the  pastors.  The  first  colored  general  secretary,  W.  A. 
Hunton,  began  his  work  at  Norfolk,  Virginia,  early  in  1888. 
Mr.  Brown  gradually  became  engrossed  in  general  visita- 
tion, chiefly  on  the  Pacific  slope,  and  in  1890  Mr.  Hunton 


Chap.  S,  F,  3.  RISE)  An*!)  growth.  55 

became  a  secretary  of  the  committee,  with  special  reference 
to  the  young  men  of  his  own  race.     (See  chap.  29,  D.) 

In  the  spring  of  1879  P.  Augustus  Wieting  became  an 
office  secretary  of  the  committee. 

h.  Work  for  commercial  travelers  was  first  presented 
to  the  Associations  at  the  Richmond  Convention.  (See 
Chap.  29,  C.)  At  the  Baltimore  Convention  (1879),  the 
call  for  it  was  more  strongly  urged,  and  the  committee 
was  instructed  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  Associations 
to  it.  In  May,  1879,  E.  W.  Watkins  was  employed  as  a 
secretary  of  the  committee,  with  special  reference  to  this 
field,  but  he  soon  became  almost  entirely  occupied  with  vis- 
itation of  the  Associations  and  the  securing  of  many  young 
men  for  the  secretaryship.  His  connection  with  the  com- 
mittee closed  in  1889. 

L  The  Boston  and  New  York  Associations  employed 
men  to  look  after  details  of  their  work  as  early  as  1852  and 
1853.  In  April,  1891,  there  were  nearly  eleven  hundred 
such  men  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  including  sec- 
retaries, physical  directors,  and  others,  devoting  their  entire 
time  to  the  work;  and  about  one  hundred  similar  positions 
were  vacant.  In  1871,  when  they  numbered  perhaps  twenty 
altogether,  thirteen  of  them  met  in  conference  after  the 
Washington  Convention.  So  ill-defined  was  the  work  of 
their  office  at  that  time,  that  no  two  were  called  by  the 
same  name,  and  only  one,  George  A.  Hall,  of  the  Washing- 
ton Association,  bore  the  name  of  general  secretary,  whicli 
was  at  this  meeting  chosen  as  the  best  name  for  the  office.* 
The  conference  resulted  in  tlie  organization  of  **  The  Asso- 
ciation of  the  General  Secretaries  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations  of   the  United  States   and    British 


*  The  day  after  the  farewell  meetin<x  was  spent  by  many  of  the  delegates  in  an 
excursion  on  the  Potomac  to  Mount  Vernon.  The  meeting  described  above,  sug- 
gested by  J.  B.  Brandt,  was  held  in  the  cabin  of  the  steamer.  Those  present  were 
J.  B.  Brandt,  Indianapolis,  Ind;  J.  D.  Blake,  Rochester,  Minn.;  E.  W.  Chase,  st. 
Paul,  Minn.:  Thomas  K.  Crec,  Pittsburgh,  Fa.;  L.  P.  Borland,  Minneapolis,  Minn  ; 
George  A.  Hall,  Washington,  D.  C;  I.  G.  Jenkins,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.;  Robert  R.  McBur- 
ney,  New  York;  L.  P.  Rowland,  Boston,  Mass.;  Alfred  Sandham,  Montreal,  Que.; 
Lang  Sheaff,  Cleveland,  O. ;  S.  A.  Taggart,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ;  auu  Ihoraas  J.  Wilkie, 
Toronto,  Out. 


5G  RISE  AND  aRoWTH.  Chap.  3,  r,  B. 

Provinces,"  which  has  met  eveiy  year  since.  At  these 
meetings  carefully  written  papers  have  been  read  and  dis- 
cussed on  every  department  of  the  work.  With  tlie  in- 
creasing number  of  employed  officers  there  has  been  a 
growth  in  their  apprehension  of  the  nature  and  details 
of  the  work  entrusted  to  them,  so  that  these  annual 
meetings  have  been  institutes,  shaping  and  defining  their 
work.* 

In  September,  1883,  J.  T.  Bowne,  general  secretary  of 
the  Association  at  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  became  a  secretary  of 
the  committee,  specially  charged  with  looking  up  suitable 
men  for  the  secretaryship,  and  investigating  the  qualifica- 
tions of  the  large  number  of  men  (over  two  hundred  a 
year)  proposed  or  applying  for  it.  In  the  fall  of  1885 
Mr.  Bowne  was  called  to  the  position  of  superintendent 
and  instructor  in  the  secretarial  department  of  the  School 
for  Christian  Workers,  then  just  established  at  Springfield, 
Mass.  After  this  time  the  secretarial  work  of  the  com- 
mittee was  entrusted  to  Erskine  Uhl,  and  later  to  John 
Glover  and  Luther  Gulick,  M.  D.,  the  latter  caring  for  the 
rapidly  increasing  calls  for  physical  directors.  (See  *'Secur- 
ing  and  training  employed  officers,"  Chap.  13.) 

j.  In  1885  C.  K.  Ober  was  added  to  the  force  with 
special  reference  to  the  college  work,  but  in  1890  he  entered 
the  general  work  of  the  committee.  In  1888  John  R. 
Mott  was  secured  for  college  work.  In  1890  the  number 
of  the  Colleore  Associations  had  reached  345,  with  an  asforre- 
gate  membership  of  over  22,000.  (See  "  College  work," 
Chap.  29,  A.) 

h.  Walter  C.  Douglas  was  for  a  short  time,  during 
1886-'7,  a  secretary  of  the  committee.  In  1888,  John  R. 
Hague,  and  in  1889,  S.  A.  Taggart,  became  secretaries  of 
the  committee,  the  former  engaging  in  general  visitation, 
and  the  latter  being  chiefly  occupied  in  presenting  to  the 
Associations  a  plan  for  the  extension  of  the  work.  (See 
"Extension  Fund,"  Chap.  32,  C,  10,  e.) 

*  See  "Summary  of  Proceedings  of  Secretaries'  Conferences,"  lut.  ppli.  No.  6. 


Chap.  3,  F,  7.  rise  And  growth.  5^ 

I.  After  careful  consideration  of  calls  from  man}^  mis- 
sionaries, the  Philadelphia  Convention  (1889)  autliorized 
the  sending  of  secretaries  of  the  committee  to  foreign  mis- 
sion fields,  and  instructed  them  to  work  in  harmony  with 
missionary  bodies  and  to  train  the  young  men  as  rapidly  as 
possible  to  carry  on  Association  work  themselves. 

J.  Trumbull  Swift,  who  had  already  spent  a  year  in 
Japan  and  proved  his  helpfulness  to  work  there  among 
young  men,  was  commissioned  as  a  secretary  of  the  com- 
mittee for  that  country  in  1889,  and  was  joined  by  R.  S. 
Miller,  Jr.,  in  1890. 

David  McConaughy,  Jr.,  started  for  India  on  the  same 
day  that  Mr.  Swift  started  for  Japan.  Myron  A.  Clark 
sailed  for  Brazil  in  1891. 

4. — As  the  conventions  increased  in  size,  the  entertain- 
ment of  delegates  became  so  burdensome  that  at  Montreal 
(1867)  the  number  which  each  Association  could  send,  and 
which  till  then  had  been  unlimited,  was  restricted,  so  that 
no  Association  could  send  more  than  fifteen  delegates. 
At  Washington  (1871),  the  number  was  further  reduced 
to  ten. 

5. — Previous  to  and  including  the  Detroit  Convention 
(1868),  much  time  had  been  occupied  at  the  annual  gath- 
erings with  the  presentation  of  a  variety  of  resolutions, 
many  of  them  quite  foreign  to  the  purposes  of  the  Asso- 
ciations. At  that  convention,  at  the  instance  of  D.  L. 
Moody,  a  resolution  was  adopted,  which  has  ever  since 
been  a  rule  of  the  conventions,  providing  for  the  appoint- 
ment at  each  convention  of  a  committee,  to  which  all 
resolutions  are  referred  without  reading.  This  rule  has 
helped  to  secure  to  the  work  of  subsequent  conventions 
both  harmony  and  efi[iciency. 

6. — At  the  Lowell  Convention  in  1872,  the  rules  of  the 
convention  were  made  permanent. 

7. — Electioneering  processes  have  not  prevailed  in  the 
conventions.     They  have  providentially  been  kept  clear, 


5g  RISE  AND  (GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  F,  8. 

to  a  remarkable  extent,  of  office-seeking  men.  The  offices 
have  sought  the  men,  and  not  the  men  the  offices. 

8. — An  examination  of  the  publications  of  the  Central 
Committee  shows  that  before  1866  the  Association  men 
themselves,  with  few  exceptions,  had  no  clear  understand- 
ing of  the  work  of  the  Associations.  The  beginning  of  an 
intelligent  perception  of  Association  work  and  methods 
dates  from  the  issuance  of  publications  by  the  Interna- 
tional Committee.  These  are  now  over  eighty  in  number. 
They  have  contributed  greatly  to  influence  public  opinion 
and  to  educate  the  Associations  in  lines  of  work  for  young 
men.  They  are  frequently  referred  to  in  this  work  under 
the  abbreviation  "  Int.  pphs." 

9. — One  of  the  most  valuable  gifts  ever  received  by  the 
committee  was  the  "  Historical  Library  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations,"  collected  by  J.  T.  Bowne, 
and  presented  by  him  to  the  committee  in  1883.  Mr. 
Bowne  has  also  since  that  time  cared  for  its  preservation 
and  increase,  without  any  charge  to  the  committee.  It 
contains  nearly  2,000  volumes,  in  fourteen  languages,  com- 
prising Association  reports  and  periodicals,  publications  of 
many  other  societies,  and  books  specially  adapted  to  j^oung 
men.  It  is  hoped  that  all  associations  of  young  men  will 
send  their  publications  regularly  to  this  library,*  also  to 
the  leading  Association  and  public  libraries,  for  historical 
reference. 

10. — It  is  generally  conceded  that  the  finances  of  the 
International  and  State  Committees  are  economically  and 
judiciously  administered.  The  annual  expenditure  of  the 
International  Committee  has  grown  from  $521,  reported  to 
the  Albany  Convention  in  1866,  to  $57,072,  in  1890.  Ac- 
cording to  the  reports  for  1890  the  total  amount  expended 
in  the  local,  state  and  international  work,  exclusive  of  con- 
tributions to  buildings  and  building  funds,  w^as  $2,032,127. 

11. — Until   1866   the   International    Convention   offered 

*  Address  Historical  Library  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations,  Spring- 
field, Mass. 


Chap.  3,  F,  13.  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  59 

the  only  place  for  conference  to  the  affiliated  Associations. 
Now  nearly  all  the  states  and  provinces  are  organized, 
having  their  executive  committees,  holding  state  and  dis- 
trict conventions,  employing  traveling  secretaries  and  ex- 
pending annually  considerably  more  than  twice  as  much 
as  the  International  Committee, — in  1890  $133,089.  (See 
"  History  and  organization  of  state  work,"  Chap.  31,  A.) 

12. — No  account  of  the  international  work  would  be 
complete  without  mention  of  its  chairman  for  the  last 
twenty-four  years,  Cephas  Brainerd.  He,  in  the  beginning 
and  when  it  was  unpopular,  grasped  the  basal  idea  of 
Association  work  by  young  men  for  young  men,  and  he 
has  clung  to  it  tenaciously  throughout^  Every  report  of 
the  committee  to  the  conventions,  since  his  chairmanship, 
has  been  written  by  him.  Until  1872  the  entire  corres- 
pondence was  conducted  by  him,  and  since  that  time  it 
has  been  under  his  careful  supervision.  The  work  of  the 
secretaries  of  the  committee  has  largely  been  prosecuted 
under  his  direction.  This  remarkable  unsalaried  service 
for  so  many  years,  by  one  thoroughly  qualified  leader,  has 
been  of  incalculable  benefit  to  the  work  for  Christ  among 
young  men  in  this  and  other  lands. 

13. — From  the  beginning  of  the  Association  movement, 
there  seemed  to  be  a  disposition  in  the  Associations  and  in 
the  conventions  to  give  considerable  attention  to  general 
forms  of  religious  and  philanthropic  work  carried  on  chiefly 
by  young  men  but  not  for  them. 

Such  work  was  much  pressed  upon  the  attention  of  the 
Associations  in  the  western  states,  and  during  eight  or  ten 
years,  beginning  with  1872,  some  of  the  State  Committees 
of  the  East  gave  their  chief  attention  to  the  holding  of 
general  evangelistic  meetings.  At  the  International 
Conventions,  notably  those  from  1873  to  1877,  the  leadeis 
engaged  in  it  particularly  urged  this  form  of  effort.  These 
State  Committees  or  their  agents  thus  constituted  them- 
selves a  mission  to  the  churches  rather  than  a  mission  to 
young  men  and  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations.     The 


60  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  8,  F,  14. 

almost  total  neglect,  by  some  State  Committees,  of  specific 
Association  work,  hindered  the  Associations  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  these  committees  from  keeping  pace  with 
the  growth  in  other  sections.  But  there  is  now  substantial 
agreement  regarding  the  mission  and  work  of  the  Associa- 
tions. 

14. — At  no  period  have  the  Associations  conferred  upon 
the  conventions  the  right  to  legislate  concerning  their 
local  work. 

15. — In  the  Associations,  from  the  beginning,  some  at 
tention  was  given  to  Bible  study.  The  discussion  of  Bible 
classes  and  methods  of  conducting  them  began  at  Wash- 
ington (1871),  and  has  been  continued  in  every  succeeding 
convention  with  marked  results.  Thirteen  of  the  sixty- 
three  Associations  reporting  at  Albany  in  1866  carried  on 
Bible  classes.  Three  hundred  and  eighty-four  of  the  thirteen 
hundred  Associations  reporting  for  1890  carried  on  five 
hundred  and  fifteen  Bible  classes.  And  in  addition  to 
these,  three  hundred  and  seventy  Associations  had  four 
hundred  and  seventy-two  training  classes,  which  were 
specially  engaged  in  the  study  of  the  Bible  for  practical 
use  in  leading  unconverted  men  to  the  Savior.  The  hope 
of  the  development  of  skillful  Christian  workers  in  the 
Associations  rests  largely  upon  the  multiplication  of  such 
classes.  Bible  study  of  this  character  was  greatly  stimu- 
lated by  D.  L.  Moody  by  the  emphasis  he  laid,  early  in 
each  series  of  his  evangelistic  meetings,  upon  the  training 
of  Christian  workers  for  dealing  with  inquirers  in  the  meet- 
ings. A  training  class,  similar  to  those  described  above, 
was  begun  in  the  New  York  Association,  with  relation  to 
such  meetings  in  that  city  in  1876,  and  has  been  continued 
to  the  present  time.  A  paper  by  Robert  Weidensall,  pub- 
lished in  "The  Watchman,"  Nov.  1,  1878,  gives  an  excel- 
lent outline  of  the  needs,  methods,  and  objects  of  such 
classes.  These  classes  were  first  reported  as  such  in  1883, 
when  there  were  fifteen.  There  had  been  earlier  efforts  in  the 
same  direction,  but  giving  instruction  only  through  lectures, 


Chap.  3,  G,  1.  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  61 

16. — Prior  to  the  Albany  Convention  no  Association 
owned  a  building  appropriate  for  Association  purposes. 
The  Associations  reported  at  the  close  of  1890  property 
in  buildings,  other  real  estate,  and  building  funds  to 
the  net  value  of  $10,025,570,  and  in  furniture,  libraries, 
and  endowments  amounting  to  $1,881,811.  (See  "The 
building  movement,"  Chap.  17.) 

17. — The  growth  of  the  Associations  in  many  branches 
of  secular  work  for  young  men,  and  in  work  for  boys,  is 
shown  in  Chapters  23-28. 

18. — Among  the  agencies  for  good,  besides  the  Christian 
Commission,  which  have  had  their  origin  in  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  may  be  mentioned  the  Society 
for  the  Suppression  of  Vice,  an  outgrowth  of  the  New  York 
City  Association,  and  the  Inter-seminary  Missionary  Alli- 
ance and  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement,  both  indirectly 
resulting  from  the  college  work. 

19. — D.  L.  Moody,  who  has  been  such  a  wonderful 
blessing  to  the  Church  of  Christ  in  this  generation,  testifies: 
"  The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  has,  under  God, 
done  more  in  developing  me  for  Christian  work  than  any 
other  agency."  On  the  other  hand  it  should  be  said  that 
the  Associations,  on  both  sides  of  the  sea,  owe  very  much 
to  Mr.  Moody  for  the  spiritual  life  that  he  has  been  the 
means  of  infusing  into  their  membership  and  agencies,  and 
also  for  the  large  material  aid  which  he  has  secured  for 
them,  along  the  path  of  his  aggressive  work. 


SECTION  G. 

LOYALTY    TO    THE    CHURCH. 


1. — Throughout  their  history  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Associations  have  been  loyal  to  the  Church  of  Christ.* 
Unjust  criticisms  of  the  Association  movement  have  some- 


*  §96  "  Halation  to  th^  Church,"  Int.  pph,  60'J 


62  RISE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  G,  1. 

times  been  made  by  persons  who  did  not  understand  its 
objects  and  aims,  or  were  unfriendly  to  its  methods.  But 
any  candid  mind  will  readily  admit  that  it  is  not  to  be 
judged  by  critics  of  this  class,  or  by  injudicious  remarks 
that  may  have  been  made  by  individual  members  of  the  or- 
ganization, any  more  than  one  of  the  denominations  should 
be  judged  by  the  statements  of  any  one  member  of  that 
denomination,  even  though  that  member  might  be  a  min- 
ister of  the  gospel.  The  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tions are  to  be  judged  by  the  acts  and  deliverances  of  their 
representative  bodies.  At  the  Montreal  Convention,  in 
1856,  the  following  resolution  was  adopted: 

^^  Resolved,  By  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  in  con- 
vention assembled,  that  we  do  not  intend  that  this  institution  shall 
take  the  highest  place  in  our  affections,  or  the  largest  share  of  our 
labors,  but  that  we  hold  this  organization  as  auxiliary  to  the  di- 
vinely appointed  means  of  grace,  the  Church  and  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel." 

This  resolution  was  re-affirmed  by  the  conventions  at 
Richmond  (1857),  Troy  (1859),  and  New  Orleans  (i860). 
At  the  Portland  Convention  (1869),  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  unanimously  adopted  : 

**  Resolved,  That  we  consider  it  the  bounden  duty  of  the  mem- 
bers of  all  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations,  calling  themselves 
Christians,  to  hold  their  duties  and  obligations  to  their  respective 
churches,  and  to  the  services  of  the  same,  as  having  a  prior  claim 
upon  their  sympathy  and  efforts. 

'* Resolved,  That  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work  for  the  Savior 
among  yoimg  men,  which  they  have  assumed,  they  should  heartily 
and  zealously  co-operate  with  the  divinely  appointed  ministry  and 
with  all  evangelical  bodies  of  Christians." 

At  the  International  Conference  of  the  General  Secre- 
taries of  the  Associations,  held  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  June  V, 
1878,  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  unani- 
mously adopted  : 

"  Whereas,  It  has  been  publicly  asserted  that  persons  connected 
with  the  Associations  have  engaged  in  criticism  of  the  official 
action  of  evangelical  ecclesiastical  bodies,  that  others  have  admin- 
istered the  ordinances  of  the  Church,  that  the  Associations  are 


Chap.  3,  G,  1.  RISE  AND  growth.  63 

seeking  directly  or  indirectly  by  lay  evangelism  and  a  new  church 
organization  to  supplant  or  supplement  existing  church  organiza- 
tions on  the  one  hand,  or  to  disseminate  Plymouth  and  anti-church 
Tiews  on  the  other ;  and 

"WTiereas,  Much  public  discussion  has  taken  place  in  regard  to 
the  same,  and  the  Associations  as  organized  bodies  have  in  some 
quarters  been  charged  with  responsibility  for  these  utterances  or 
acts,  or  some  of  them  ;  therefore 

*^ Resolved,  That  we  re-affirm  the  deliverances  of  the  general  con- 
ventions of  the  Associations  of  this  continent,  which  declare  in 
substance  that  the  Associations  are  not  political  nor  merely  moral 
reform  societies,  nor  substitutes  for,  nor  rivals  of  the  churches  of 
Christ ;  that  they  hold  the  obligation  and  duty  of  their  members 
to  the  churches  with  which  they  are  connected  ac  superior  to  those 
due  the  Association  ;  that  they  recognize  and  uphold  a  divinely 
appointed  ministry  ;  that  they  hold  that  questions  of  doctrine  or 
polity,  as  to  which  the  various  branches  of  the  evangelical  churches 
are  not  agreed,  are  questions  with  which,  as  Associations,  they 
have  nothing  whatever  to  do. 

"jResoZi7ed,That  the  Associations  are  not  responsible  for  the  opin- 
ions, public  declarations,  or  acts  of  those  who  may  be  members  of 
them,  unless  they  be  in  harmony  with  the  pronounced  official 
judgment  of  the  representative  bodies  of  the  Associations. 

•  'Resolved,  That  we  do  not  esteem  it  just  to  the  Associations  nor 
to  their  members  to  charge  them  with  the  adoption  or  approval 
of  the  acts  or  opinions  of  any  individual,  which  may  be  thought 
unscriptural,  unsound,  or  unwise,  simply  for  the  reason  that  such 
individuals  are  members  of  an  Association  or  oflSce  bearers  in  the 
same  or  perform  service  on  the  invitation  of  individual  Associa- 
tions. 

'^Resolved,  That  we  hold  that  criticism  by  the  Associations  or  by 
individuals  authorized  r,o  represent  them,  of  the  action  of  evangeli- 
cal ecclesiastical  bodies  would  be  a  violation  of  the  fundamental 
principle  upon  which  the  members  of  the  evangelical  denomina- 
tions united  to  form  the  Association,  and  that  it  would  be  a  disre- 
gard of  the  pledge  given  by  them  and  observed  through  the  whole 
period  of  their  growth,  and  under  which  they  have  not  only  en- 
joyed the  confidence  of  the  evangelical  churches  and  ministry, 
but  have  received  in  perpetuity  valuable  properties  from  the 
members  of  all  these  evangelical  denominations. 

'^ Resolved,  That  the  objects  of  the  Associations,  as  we  understand 
them,  are  stated  in  the  declaration  made  at  Paris  in  1855  by  the 
"World's  Conference  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations^  an4 


64  R^SE  AND  GROWTH.  Chap.  3,  G.  2. 

re-aflBrmed  at  Albany  in  1866,  by  the  annual  convention  of  the 
American  Associations, as  follows  ;  'The  Young  Men's  Christian 
Associations  seek  to  unite  those  young  men  who,  regarding  Jesus 
Christ  as  their  God  and  Savior,  according  to  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
desire  to  be  his  disciples  in  their  doctrine  and  in  their  life,  and  to 
associate  their  efforts  for  the  extension  of  his  kingdom  among 
young  men,'  and 

*' Resolved,  That  we  consider  the  history  of  the  Associations  and 
their  official  action  as  furnishing  a  complete  answer  to  all  the  ad- 
verse suggestions  herein  referred  to,  and  by  such  action  we  stand, 
and  by  it  are  content  to  hav3  these  societies  judged." 

It  is  but  just  to  say  that  this  deliverance  represents  the 
sentiments  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations. 
It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  no  young  man  can  become 
an  active,  voting  member  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,  or  be  admitted  as  a  delegate  to  the  Interna- 
tional Conventions  of  the  Associations,  unless  he  is  a  mem- 
ber, in  good  standing,  of  an  evangelical  church.  This  is 
higher  ground  than  is  taken  by  any  other  similar  organiza- 
tion, not  excepting  Sunday-schools  and  Sunday-school  con- 
ventions. It  will  therefore  be  seen  that  the  Y^oung  Men's 
Christian  Association  has  a  closer  relation  to  the  evangeli- 
cal church  than  any  other  organization,  and  is  also  more 
loyal  in  supporting  the  regular  church  work  and  the  or- 
dained ministry  than  any  other  organization. 

2. — Reference  should  be  made  to  the  recognition, 
throughout  the  history  of  the  Associations,  of  the  Deity  of 
our  blessed  Lord,  and  of  the  personality  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  his  agency  in  the  work  of  regeneration  and  sanctifica- 
tion ;  and  to  the  insistence  in  all  their  meetings  and  ser- 
vices on  the  necessity  of  the  new  birth,  the  divine  authority 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  eternal  reward  of  believers, 
and  the  eternal  punishment  of  unbelievers. 

3. — It  is  a  source  of  gratification  that  no  denominational 
jars  or  jealousies  have  ever  disturbed  the  harmony  of  the 
Avork  of  these  societies.  As  was  observed  in  the  report  of 
the  International  Committee  to  the  Milwaukee  Conven- 
tion, in  1883  ; 


Chap.  3,  G,  3.  rise  and  growth.  65 

**  The  committee  is  not  so  foolish  as  to  deny  that  mistakes  have 
been  made  in  its  administration,  that  mistakes  have  been  made  in 
the  administration  of  local  Associations ;  that  things  have  been 
done,  both  general  and  local,  which  were  indiscreet  and  unwise. 
But  there  is  one  fact,  with  its  surroundings,  which  must  impress 
any  one  conversant  with  our  history  with  the  truth  of  the  propo- 
sition that  the  hand  of  God  is  in  this  work  and  that  his  Spirit 
guides  it ;  and  it  is  this  :  that  for  more  than  thirty  years  these 
Associations  have  existed  on  this  continent,  for  the  avowed  pur- 
pose already  specified,  composed  of  young  men  dwelling  in  dif- 
ferent sections  of  the  continent,  having  few  business  relations  and 
most  of  them  no  acquaintance  with  one  another,  and  that  all  this 
time  these  Associations  have  been  growing  in  numbers  and  in 
strength,  have  been  growing  in  wealth,  in  influence  and  in  unity ; 
that  they  have  annually  come  together  in  general,  in  state,  and 
then  in  district  conventions,  and  that  during  all  that  period  there 
has  been  no  substantial  break  in  their  harmony,  no  substantial 
difference  in  their  gatherings,  no  substantial  dispute,  when  the 
topic  was  presented,  as  to  the  real  purpose  of  the  work  ;  and  yet 
there  is  no  formal  constitution  or  legal  tie  connecting  them  to- 
gether, and  they  join  hands  simply  and  only  because  they  have 
this  common  purpose  and  this  one  work." 


SECOND    DIVISION, 
THE  ORGANIZATION  AND  ITS  HOME. 


ORGANIZATION. 


SECTION  A. 

WHEN    AND    HOW    TO    ORGANIZE.* 

1. — An  Association  should  not  be  crowded  upon  a  place 
by  outside  influence.  After  the  object  of  the  Association 
has  been  properly  presented,  the  demand  for  an  organi- 
zation should  come  from  the  Christian  people  themselves. 
This  fact  will  add  to  their  interest  in  the  work,  and  give  an 
increased  responsibility  for  its  proper  maintenance. 

2. — An  Association  should  not  be  organized  in  any  town 
without: 

a.  Thorough  instruction  regarding  the  character  and 
demands  of  the  work. 

h.  Assurance  that  it  will  be  maintained.  The  ill-ad- 
vised organization,  aimless  work,  and  brief  existence  of  a 
multitude  of  so-called  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations 
have  been  of  untold  damage  to  the  good  name  of  the 
institution. 

3. — An  organization  ma}^  be  safely  attempted  when,  the 
conditions  named  being  satisfied,  from  six  to  twenty  resident 

♦  See  "Organization  and  work  of  Associations,"  Int.  pph.'No.  553. 


Chap.  4,  A,  10.  ORGANIZATION.  67 

3'oiing  men,  members  of  one  or  more  evangelical  churches, 
earnest,  willing  and  capable,  feel  its  need  and  determine 
upon  its  accomplishment. 

4. — Begin  quietly.  Pray  and  confer  together.  Talk 
with  the  pastors.  Consult  a  few  substantial  men  from 
whom  financial  help  would  be  expected.  An  organization 
resulting  from  eloquent  speeches  at  a  mass  meeting,  or 
simply  from  the  enthusiasm  accompanying  a  revival,  is 
rarely  a  success. 

5. — Communicate  at  once  with  the  State  Secretary  or 
other  properly  qualified  person,  as  to  mode  of  organiza- 
tion and  other  matters  essential  to  be  understood  at  the 
beginning. 

6. — The  establishment  of  a  religious  meeting  for  young 
men  only  will  be  a  safe  and  practical  step  at  any  time  dur- 
ing the  preliminary  proceedings. 

7. — A  preamble,  setting  forth  the  objects  of  the  proposed 
movement,  should  be  circulated  among  carefully  selected 
Christian  young  men,  of  the  evangelical  churches  only, 
to  be  signed  by  those  willing  to  unite  in  the  work.  The 
size  of  the  place  will  determine  the  number  of  names  with 
which  it  will  be  judicious  to  attempt  an  organization. 

8. — The  persons  signing  the  preamble — and  these 
only — should  meet,  adopt  a  constitution,  and  elect  the 
ofiicers.  Several  meetings  may  be  necessary  to  complete 
the  organization.     There  should  be  no  undue  haste. 

9. — Let  the  constitution  be  simple  and  clear  in  its  pro- 
visions, fitted  to  the  needs  of  the  particular  society  for 
which  it  is  designed,  and  so  carefully  framed  as  not  to  call 
for  speedy  amendment.     (See  Chap.  5.) 

10. — Great  care  should  be  taken  in  the  selection  of 
oflS^cers.  They  should  be  men  of  unquestioned  piety,  will- 
ing and  competent  to  do  the  duties  assigned  them,  and 
having  the  respect  of  the  community.  No  men  should  be 
put  in  office  as  mere  figure-heads.  The  several  affiliating 
churches  should  be  fairly  represented,  if  possible,  but  the 
other  points  are  the  more  essential. 


68  ORGAKIZATION.  Chap.  4,  A,  11. 

11.— The  larger  Associations  will  require  a  board  of 
directors,  the  smaller  ones  only  an  executive  committee. 
Put  the  business  management  in  good  hands.  No  Asso- 
ciation can  exist  long  without  capable,  systematic,  and 
energetic  men  in  charge  of  this  department.  There  should 
be  a  combination  of  young  and  middle-aged  men.  Both 
the  zeal  and  enthusiasm  of  the  former  are  needed,  as  well 
as  the  experience  and  caution  of  the  latter. 

12. — The  success  of  a  new  Association  will  depend  large- 
ly upon  the  composition  of  its  working  committees,  and  es- 
pecially upon  the  chairmen.  Men  adapted  to  the  different 
forms  of  work  should  be  selected. 

13. — When  the  organization  is  completed,  the  Christian 
people  of  the  community  may  be  called  together  for  prayer 
and  conference  regarding  it.  The  work  should  then  be 
clearly  presented,  that  they  may  understand  its  character 
and  be  prepared  to  give  it  an  intelligent  support. 

14. — The  character  of  rooms  and  appliances,  or  whether 
rooms  are  needed  at  all,  must  be  determined  by  local  cir- 
cumstances. The  rooms,  if  obtained,  should  be  the  best  that 
can  be  secured,  and  should  be  attractively  fitted  up.  Some 
good  suggestions  can  often  be  gathered  by  visiting  the 
better  class  of  social  club  rooms. 

15. — If  a  work  is  to  be  undertaken  requiring  any  con- 
siderable outlay  of  money,  the  question  of  finances  is  spec- 
ially important  and  should  be  one  of  the  first  things  con- 
sidered. The  entire  amount  needed  for  a  year's  expenses 
should  invariably  be  raised  in  advance.  In  addition  to 
the  adoption  of  a  permanent  membership  plan,  special  con- 
tributions must  be  secured.  This  work  should  be  placed 
in  the  hands  of  a  few  energetic  business  men. 

16. — As  an  Association  is  designed  to  be  a  permanent 
institution,  holding  property  and  receiving  bequests,  it 
should  be  incorporated.  This  is  readily  done  under  statu- 
tory provisions.     (See  Chap  19,  A.) 


Chap.  4,  B,  11.  ORaANiZATiON.  69 

SECTION  B. 

PRACTICAL     HINTS. 

1. — Begin  the  spiritual  work  at  once,  and  keep  it  prom- 
inent. 

2. — Do  not  attempt  too  much  at  first.  Do  a  few  things 
and  do  them  thoroughly.  Undertake  additional  work  as 
it  is  demanded  and  you  are  able  to  do  it. 

3. — Do  not  be  anxious  to  increase  the  membership  before 
the  work  is  thoroughly  understood.  Embarrassment  and 
reaction  may  result.  The  strength  of  the  organization  is 
not  in  numbers,  but  in  workers. 

4. — Never  contract  debts  without  good  assurance  of 
paying  them.  An  organization  that  fails  to  meet  its  ob- 
ligations promptly  will  justly  lose  the  respect  of  the  busi- 
ness community. 

5. — Do  not  fail  to  consult  the  pastors  and  secure  their 
co-operation.     Their  counsel  and  support  will  be  invaluable. 

6. — Teach  every  member  that  he  owes  his  first  duty  to 
the  work  of  his  own  church. 

Y. — Do  not  expect  to  become  at  once  a  recognized  in- 
stitution of  the  place.  An  organization  must  prove  its 
right  to  existence  by  true,  persistent  effort,  and  by  sub- 
stantial achievement  along  the  lines  of  its  avowed  work. 

8. — Some  opposition  ought  not  to  occasion  discourage- 
ment. New  methods  of  Christian  activity  rarely  meet 
with  universal  approval. 

9. — Do  not  depend  on  large  and  ambitious  meetings,  nor 
imagine  that  because  your  numbers  are  few  you  cannot 
accomplish  much. 

10. — Cultivate  a  feeling  of  Christian  fraternity,  and 
stimulate  one  another  in  Christian  life  and  activity. 

11. — Let  definite  work  for  young  men  resolve  itself  into 
definite  work  for  a  young  man.  Be  systematic.  One 
thing  every  day  by  each  member  for  a  particular  object 
would  assure  not  only  certain  but  great  success. 


70  ORaANIZATION.  Chap.  4,  B,  12. 

12. — Emphasize  the  study  and  use  of  the  Scriptures. 

13. — Expect  immediate  and  constant  results;  yet  do  not 
be  disheartened  if  they  should  not  appear  at  once.  Ap- 
parent failure  may  be  real  success. 

14. — Never  allow  a  suspicion  of  sectarian  or  personal 
jealousy.  Remember  that  "  One  is  your  master,  even  Christ, 
and  all  ye  are  brethren  ;"  and  practice  the  Pauline  injunc- 
tion, "In  honor  preferring  one  another." 

15. — The  doctrinal  differences  of  the  evangelical 
churches  should  not  be  discussed  in  the  meetings  or  Bible 
classes. 

16. — Do  not  attempt  to  compete  with  any  other  local 
society.  The  field  is  broad  enough  for  all.  Strike  out 
into  new  paths. 

17. — Do  not  engage  as  an  organization  in  measures  of 
political  reform,  local  or  general. 

18. — Beware  of  a  class  of  men  who  are  always  ready  to 
enter  a  new  organization  for  selfish  ends  or  to  ventilate 
peculiar  ideas.  Men  of  doubtful  morals,  and  those  who 
speak  evil  of  the  churches  must  not  be  tolerated. 


O  H  A  F»  T  E  K,     5. 

THE  CONSTITUTION. 


SECTION  A. 

GENERAL    CONSIDERATIONS. 

1. — A  constitution  should  have  adaptation  to  local  needs, 
be  simple  in  its  construction,  and  clear  and  concise  in  form 
of  statement. 

2. — Its  provisions  should  be  practicable.  Avoid  too 
much  "red  tape."  It  is  better  to  have  a  few  rules  well 
observed,  than  an  array  of  articles  and  sections  unknown 
or  disregarded  by  the  membersliip. 

3. — Some  things  are  uniformly  essential,  as  the  test  of 
active  membership.  Other  provisions  have  by  long  usage 
been  found  expedient.  Still  others  will  vary  with  the  size 
and  class  of  the  organization,  or  may  be  matters  of  mere 
taste  or  opinion.  It  is  desirable  that  the  less  important 
items,  and  those  liable  to  change,  be  placed  in  the  by-laws. 

4. — Legal  incorporation  being  desirable  (see  Chap.  19, 
A.),  the  constitution  must  conform  to  its  provisions  and 
requirements. 

5. — The  framing  of  a  good  constitution  will  require  time 
and  thought.  There  should  always  be  consultation  with 
the  State  Committee  or  experienced  workers,  and  study  of 
such  models  as  they  may  suggest.* 

*  The  International  Committee  has  on  axle  two  forms.  No.  17,  "  Constitution  for 
an  Association  employing  a  general  secretary,"  and  JSo.  554,  "Constitution  for  an 
Association  not  employing  a  general  secretary."  Also  "  Essential  points  in  a  con- 
stitution," No.  585,  on  which  this  chapter  is  based. 


73  THE  coNSTiTUTiois^.  Chap.  5,  B,  1. 

SECTION  B. 

A    SUGGESTIVE    OUTLINE. 

1. — The  object  of  the  Association  should  be  definitely 
stated  to  be  the  welfare  of  young  men,  by  means  consistent 
with  Christian  faith  and  life.     (See  Chap.  1,  A,  7,  c,  4.) 

2. — The  membership  should  be  divided  into  but  two 
classes  ;  namely,  active  and  associate. 

3. — The  active  members  must  be  young  men,  members 
in  good  standing  of  evangelical  churches  (see  "  Member- 
ship," Chap.  9,  A.),  and  they  only  should  have  the  privilege 
of  voting  and  holding  office.  Associations  organized  on 
any  other  basis  are  not  entitled  to  representation  in  the 
International  Conventions. 

4. — The  associate  members  should  be  young  men  of 
good  moral  character. 

5. — Other  memberships,  several  classes  of  which  may  be 
found  in  constitutions  formed  some  years  ago,  should  be 
only  sub-divisions  of  these  two  classes.  A  life  member, 
for  example,  should  be  either  an  active  or  an  associate 
member,  elected  or  admitted  in  the  regular  manner,  and 
may  be  designated  as  life  active  or  life  associate.  Present 
sentiment  is  opposed  to  life  membership.  Persons  sustain- 
ing only  a  financial  relation  to  the  Association  are  contrib 
utors  and  not  members. 

6. — The  membership  fee  should  be  moderate,  that  none 
may  be  shut  out  by  reason  of  it.  Most  Associations  make 
the  fee  for  limited  membership  two  dollars.  The  unlimited 
fee,  admitting  to  the  advantages  of  a  fully  equipped  Asso- 
ciation, is  usually  five  dollars. 

7. — All  applications  for  active  membership  should  be 
referred  to  a  standing  committee,  which  should  examine 
into  each  case  and  report  thereon  to  a  regular  business 
meeting  of  the  board  or  Association,  as  may  be  required. 

8. — The  investigation  of  charges  justifying  suspension 
or  expulsion  should  be  made  by  and  before  the  directors, 


Chap.  5,  B,  12.  the  constitution.  73 

the  accused  being  permitted  to  appear  and  defend  himself. 
Full  records  of  such  proceedings  should  be  preserved.  At 
least  a  two-thirds  vote  should  be  necessary  for  conviction. 

9. — The  management  of  the  larger  Associations  is  vested 
in  a  board  of  directors.  This  board  should  be  divided  into 
at  least  three  sections,  a  section  being  elected  annually  and 
for  three  years.  This  will  insure  having  at  all  times  on 
the  board  men  of  experience  and  familiarity  with  the  af- 
fairs of  the  Association.  It  may  be  well  to  specify  the 
greatest  number  of  one  denomination  allowed  upon  the 
board. 

10. — The  board  of  directors  should  be  given  power  for 
the  proper  management  of  the  Association  and  its  branches. 
The  branches  ought  always  to  be  under  the  control  of  the 
board,  directly  or  through  a  committee.  The  selection  and 
supervision  of  all  paid  officers  and  employes  of  the  Associ- 
ation, and  of  the  general  secretaries  of  the  branches,  should 
be  in  the  hands  of  the  board.  It  should  also  have  power  to 
All  vacancies  occurring  in  its  own  number  or  among  the 
officers  of  the  Association,  the  appointees  holding  office  only 
till  the  next  annual  election. 

11. — The  general  secretary  in  many  Associations  is  a 
member  of  the  board,  ex  officio  or  by  election.  This, 
however,  is  sometimes  forbidden  by  state  law.  There  is 
also  a  growing  sentiment  that  the  secretary,  who  is  tlie 
employed  agent  of  the  board,  cannot  appropriately  be  a 
member  of  it.  But  the  constitution  or  by-laws  should 
provide  for  his  attendance  at  all  board  or  committee 
meetings. 

12. — The  officers  should  be  chosen  annually  by  the  board 
of  directors  from  its  own  number,  the  method  which  is  used 
by  business  corporations,  and  which  experience  has  shown  to 
be  the  wiser  plan.  The  more  that  the  Associations  come 
into  the  possession  of  property,  and  into  a  place  among  tlie 
permanent  institutions  of  the  community,  the  more  unde- 
sirable is  any  other  method.  The  directors  are  of  course 
elected  by  the  active  members  of  the  Association. 


74  THB  CONSTITUTION.  Chap.  5,  B,  IS- 

IS.— In  small  places  the  Association  should  liave  a  presi- 
dent, first  and  second  vice-presidents,  executive  secretary, 
and  treasurer.  These  five  officers  constitute  the  executive 
committee,  hold  the  same  relation  to  the  small  Association 
that  the  board  of  directors  does  to  the  larger  one,  and  per- 
form similar  duties. 

14. — Standing  committees  should  be  provided  for,  but 
only  such  as  are  really  needed.  Those  having  to  do  with 
the  business  management  should  be  of  the  directors,  the 
others  of  the  Association,  members  of  the  board  not  being 
necessarily  excluded.  They  should  be  appointed  by  the 
president — after  consultation  with  the  general  secretary — 
and  approved  by  the  board.  They  should  consist  of  at 
least  three  members,  the  first-named  being  chairman,  and 
should  work  under  direction  of  the  board,  reporting  to  it 
statedly.  Committees  of  the  Association  should  also  report 
to  the  monthly  or  quarterly  meetings  of  the  same.  The 
president  should  have  power,  with  consent  of  the  board, 
to  add  to  the  committees  at  any  time  during  the  year  or 
to  make  any  desirable  changes  in  their  membership.  (See 
Chap.  8.) 

15. — The  president  and  executive  secretary  should  be 
ex  officio  members  of  all  standing  committees.  The  gen- 
eral secretary  should  be  an  ex  officio  member  of  the  stand- 
ing committees  of  the  Association,  and  a  regular  attendant 
at  all  committee  meetings,  whether  of  the  Association  or 
the  board.  These  officers  should  be  notified  of  all  com- 
mittee meetings. 

16. — N"o  debt  should  be  incurred  unless  the  money  is  on 
hand  or  provided  for.  Pa^^ments  should  be  made  by  the 
treasurer  only  when  the  bills  have  been  approved  by  some 
other  officer  or  by  a  properly  constituted  committee.  No 
money  should  be  solicited  except  by  authority  of  the  board 
of  directors. 

17. — Where  an  Association  is  in  possession  of  real  estate 
or  trust  funds,  such  property  should  be  held  by  a  board  of 
trustees,  whos ^  minutes  and  accounts  should  be  kept  en- 


I 

I 


Chap.  5,  B,  24.  the  constitution.  75 

tirely  distinct  from  those  of  the  board  of  directors  and  the 
current  expenses.     (See  "Trustees,"  Chap.  19,  B.) 

18. — An  annual  business  meeting  for  the  election  of  di- 
rectors, etc.,  should  be  provided  for  at,  or  just  previous  to, 
the  beginning  of  the  Association  year.  At  this  meeting 
reports  from  the  board  of  directors,  treasurer,  and  com- 
mittees should  be   presented. 

19. — There  should  be  a  public  anniversary  at  which  the 
work  of  the  Association  for  the  past  year,  with  its  present 
condition  and  prospects,  should  be  carefully  presented, 
with  such  other  exercises  as  shall  create  helpful,  popular 
interest  in  work  for  young  men.     (See  Chap.  20,  B.) 

20. — Provision  should  be  made  for  monthly  or  quarterly 
meetings  of  the  Association,  at  which  there  should  be 
written  reports  from  the  committees  and  other  necessary 
business.  If  desirable  there  may  be  added  social  or  lit- 
erary exercises.     (See  Chap.  9,  H.) 

21. — The  quorum  necessary  for  the  transaction  of  ordi- 
nary business  in  Association,  board,  or  committee  meetings 
should  not  be  too  large,  or  annoying  delays  will  frequently 
occur  through  an  insufficient  number  being  present. 

22. — Power  should  be  given  the  board  of  directors  to 
make  by-laws  for  its  own  government  and  for  that  of  the 
Association. 

23. — The  day  and  hour  for  the  regular  business  meet- 
ings, the  annual  meeting  excepted  ;  the  order  of  exercises 
at  such  meetings  ;  and  all  matters  of  minor  importance 
should  be  provided  for  in  the  by-laws  rather  than  in  the 
constitution. 

24. — Amendments  to  the  constitution  should  require  for 
their  adoption  a  presentation  in  writing  at  a  previous  reg- 
ular meeting,  and.  at  least  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members 
present.  But  it  should  be  distinctly  stated  that  the  article 
containing  the  active  membership  test  and  the  article  on 
amendments  shall  not  be  altered  or  repealed  without  the 
unanimous  consent  of  the  Association. 


CHAF^TET^   6. 

BRANCHES  AND  SUB-ORGANIZATIONS, 


SECTION  A. 

BRANCHES. 

1. — Early  in  the  development  of  Association  work  in 
the  larger  cities,  the  importance  of  opening  more  than  one 
place  of  resort  for  young  men  in  the  same  city  was  realized. 
This  demand  has  been  met  most  wisely,  not  by  forming 
different  independent  Associations,  but  by  the  establish- 
ment of  well  located  branches  of  a  central  ors^anization. 
The  Kansas  City  International  Convention  (1891)  passed 
the  following  resolution  : 

*'  Resolved,  That  the  International  Committee  be  instructed  not 
to  recognize  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  that  shall  here- 
after be  organized  in  cities  or  towns  where  such  Associations  al- 
ready exist,  and  that  such  organizations  be  not  entitled  to  repre- 
sentation at  International  Conventions,  College  and  Colored 
Associations  excepted." 

As  these  branches  have  multiplied  in  some  cities  and 
have  grown  in  usefulness,  calling  for  additional  Association 
buildings  and  a  complex  work  in  each,  a  careful  definition 
of  their  mutual  relations  has  been  called  for.  In  New  York 
City,  when  the  branches  had  grown  to  the  number  of  ten — 
six  of  them  occupying  each  an  Association  building — an 
important  step  was  taken  toward  promoting  the  solidarity 
of  this  entire  work  for  young  men  within  the  city  limits. 

By  a  thorough  revision  of  its  constitution  in  1887,  the 
New  York  City  Association  released  its  board  of  directors 


Chap.  6,  A,  2.  branches.  77 

from  the  special  care  of  the  work  at  any  one  point,  and 
placed  the  board  in  equal  and  similar  relation  of  control 
and  oversight  to  every  branch  of  the  organization.  The  board 
of  directors  is  thus  enabled  to  devote  itself  more  effect- 
ively to  tlie  administration  and  development  of  the  entire 
work,  and  to  its  extension  by  the  establishment  of  new 
branches.  This  plan,  which  has  been  styled  "The  metro- 
politan organization,"  has  commended  itself  to  the  Asso- 
ciations in  the  larger  American  cities. 

It  is  probably  the  goal  toward  which  Associations  with 
a  considerable  number  of  branches  are  now  working. 
The  most  common  method  of  organization  pursued  in  this 
transition  period  of  development  is  a  natural  outgrowth  of 
a  strong  central  organization.  A  call  comes  for  a  branch, 
either  owing  to  the  size  of  the  city  or  in  order  to  reach  a 
special  class  of  young  men.  Under  vote  of  the  board  of 
directors,  a  committee  of  management  for  this  branch  is 
appointed  by  the  president,  and  the  organization  is  com- 
pleted as  in  the  case  of  any  other  Association.* 

Experience  shows  that  sometimes  branches  have  been 
formed  or  the  metropolitan  organization  adopted  j^rema- 
turely.  All  such  complicated  plans  are  worse  than  useless 
when  the  call  for  them  is  not  imperative.  As  little  ma- 
chinery should  be  employed  as  will  accomplish  the  work. 

If  in  any  case  the  usefulness  of  a  branch  ceases,  as,  for 
instance,  by  the  removal  of  a  large  number  of  railroad  men 
from  the  neighborhood.  It  should  be  promptly  closed  or 
moved  to  a  better  location. 

2. — "While  local  conditions  will  have  much  to  do  with 
determining  plans  and  fixing  the  proper  details  of  relation- 
ship between  the  several  organizations  of  a  city,  some 
general  principles  may  be  mentioned  which  it  will  be  ex- 
pedient to  follow: 

a.  In  order  to  have  harmonious  and  economical  action, 
there  must  be  one  common  head  or  management  supervis- 

*  For  full  details  of  the  several  plans  of  branch  organization,  see  the  constitu- 
tions and  by-laws  of  such  organizations  in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  other  cities. 


78  BRANCHES.  Chap.  6,  A,  3. 

ing  and  controlling  the  entire  work  in  a  community.  Such 
head  will  be  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Association.* 
Committees  of  the  board  should  visit  the  branches  regularly. 

b.  Each  branch  should  be  under  the  direct  supervision 
of  a  committee  of  management,  composed,  as  far  as  possible, 
of  men  identified  with  the  locality  by  residence  and  gen- 
eral interests,  or  with  tlie  special  class  by  social  or  business 
affinity. 

c.  This  committee  should  be  appointed  in  the  same 
manner  and  sustain  the  same  relation  to  the  Association  as 
other  committees. 

d. — Each  branch  should  be  complete  in  organization, 
rales  of  business,  and  methods  of  work  ;  the  committee  of 
management  being  practically  a  board  of  directors,  with 
its  officers  and  committees,  the  officers  being  also  the  offi- 
cers of  the  branch.  It  is  customary  to  use  the  terms  chair- 
man and  vice-chairman  in  designating  the  officers  of  the 
branch,  to  avoid  confounding  them  with  those  of  the  As- 
sociation. 

e. — The  secretary  of  the  branch  should  be  appointed 
by  the  board  of  directors,  after  conference  with  the  com- 
mittee of  management,  the  wishes  of  the  committee  being 
complied  with  as  far  as  possible  in  this,  and  in  all  things 
connected  with  the  branch,  consistently  with  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  Association. 

f. — The  secretary  of  the  branch,  whatever  his  designa- 
tion, is  usually  subordinate  to  the  general  secretary  of  the 
central  or  general  Association.!  He  should,  however,  be 
given  all  freedom  in  the  local  management,  consistent  with 
his  experience  and  capabilities. 

*  The  College  ABSociatiou  has  been  an  exception  to  this  rule.  The  community^ 
mode  of  college  life,  the  distinctive  character  of  the  membership  and  of  the  work, 
and  the  usual  isolation  of  the  college  buildings  have  been  considered  a  sufQcient  bar 
to  local  organic  union.  A  closer  connection  in  our  large  cities  between  city  and 
college  organizations  has  been  deemed  desirable,  and  some  successful  efforts  have 
been  made  in  this  direction. 

t  It  is  sometimes  held  that  the  branch  secretary  should  be  amenable  to  th« 
board  of  directors,  the  appointing  power,  but  not  to  the  general  secretary,  who  is 
only  another  employ^.  With  equal  propriety  it  might  be  said  that  an  army  sub- 
altern should  be  amenable  to  the  war  office  only,  and  not  to  the  general  in  com- 
mand. 


Chap.  6,  B.  BRANCHES.  79 

g. — It  is  desirable  to  divide  the  city  into  as  many  dis- 
tricts as  there  are  branches  (not  including  any  branches 
designed  for  special  classes  of  young  men),  and  for  each 
branch  to  undertake  thorough  work  in  the  district  where 
it  is  located. 

h. — A  member  of  the  Association  is  generally  entitled 
to  any  privileges  afforded  at  any  other  branch  which  can- 
not be  obtained  at  the  branch  where  he  holds  his  member-, 
ship. 

i. — The  question  of  financial  support  must  be  deter- 
mined by  local  circumstances.  If  a  branch  be  able  to 
support  itself  from  the  dues  of  its  members  and  contribu- 
tions of  friends  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  or  of  its  special 
class,  there  will  be  no  need  to  draw  upon  the  general  treas- 
ury. In  gome  cases  partial  support  may  be  necessary,  and 
occasionally,  where  the  branch  is  designed  to  benefit  chiefly 
young  men  in  destitute  circumstances,  it  may  be  necessary 
for  all  the  financial  support  to  come  from  the  central  organ- 
ization. In  order  to  avoid  the  solicitation  of  funds  by  the 
board  of  directors  and  by  one  or  more  branches  from  the 
same  person,  it  is  desirable  that  the  assignment  of  names 
for  solicitation  be  made  by  the  board,  or  its  representative, 
from  lists  submitted  by  the  branches.  The  same  course 
may  become  necessary  in  the  larger  cities  in  regard  to  all 
solicitation,  as,  for  instance,  that  of  advertisements  for 
Association  publications. 


SECTION  B. 

SUB-OEGANIZATIONS. 

A  class  of  sub-organizations  is  liable  to  spring  up  in 
connection  with  the  local  work  ;  such  as  the  literary 
society,  the  boys'  department,  athletic  club,  and  others 
similar  to  them.  These  sometimes  exist  without  any  dis- 
tinct organization,  but  in  general  they  adopt  some  form. 


80  BRANCHES.  Chap.  0,  B. 

The  relation  of  all  these  to  the  Association  should  be  not 
only  carefully  guarded,  but  definitely  fixed  and  understood. 
They  are  always,  it  is  sujiposed,  designed  to  work  in  har- 
mony with  the  objects  of  the  Association,  and  to  be  in 
every  sense  auxiliary  to  it,  and  are  often  valuable;  but 
there  should  be  in  every  instance  such  organic  connection 
as  to  bring  every  department  of  the  work  under  perfect 
control,  and  insure  against  any  departure  from  proper 
methods.  No  society,  committee,  club,  or  organization  of 
any  kind  should  be  permitted  within  or  in  connection  with 
the  Association,  or  any  of  its  departments  or  branches,  ex- 
cept by  authority  of  the  board  of  directors  or  committees 
of  management,  who  should  also  draft  or  approve,  and 
amend,  the  by-laws  thereof,  and  appoint  or  confirm  the 
officers  and  committees.  In  addition  to  this  the  president 
and  secretaries  of  the  Association  should  be  constituted 
ex  officio  members  of  such  societies,  and  of  their  executive 
committees,  and  provision  should  be  made  whereby  the 
board  of  directors  or  committee  of  management  may 
fully  supervise,  and,  for  due  cause,  reorganize  or  disband 
them.  It  is  very  desirable  that  every  such  society  be 
under  the  direct  supervision  of  a  regular  standing  com- 
inittee. 


THE  MANAGEMENT. 


SECTION  A. 

THE     DIRECTORS. 

Experience  has  demonstrated  that  in  the  Associations, 
as  well  as  in  business  corporations,  affairs  are  more  effi- 
ciently conducted  by  a  judicious  board  of  directors  than 
by  the  Association  as  a  whole.  To  this  board  is  entrusted 
the  supervision  of  the  entire  work,  both  secular  and  re- 
ligious, and  its  guiding,  moulding  power  should  be  felt  in 
every  department.  The  members  of  the  board  should  be 
representative  men  of  the  Association,  of  their  respective 
churches,  and  of  the  various  business  interests  of  the  com- 
munity. If  men  whose  industry  and  attainments  have 
won  for  them  wealth  and  influence  can  be  led  to  devote 
the  same  qualities  to  the  service  of  the  Association,  their 
co-operation  will  be  of  great  value.  They  are  busy  men, 
but  the  best  work  must  be  done  by  busy  men ;  and,  ap- 
preciating the  value  of  time,  they  will  know  how  to  use 
what  they  can  give  to  the  best  advantage. 

I.— PERSONAL  QUALIFICATIONS. 

a.  Christian  character. — A  director  must  be  a  man  in 
regard  to  whose  integrity  in  religious  matters  there  can 
be  no  question — whose  life  is  in  keeping  with  his  pro- 
fession. 

h.  Heart. — A  director  should  have  a  warm  heart,  full 
of  that  sympathy  for  young  men  in  their  temptations  and 


82  THE  MANAGEMENT.  Chap.  7,  A,  1. 

wants  that  shall  lead  him  to  active  effort  in  their  behalf. 

c.  Judgment. — He  should  be  a  man  of  tact,  who  will 
know  what  to  do  and  how  to  do  it. 

d.  Business  reputation. — He  should  be  known  and  rec- 
ognized in  the  community  as  a  capable,  conscientious  man 
of  affairs,  whose  connection  with  the  work  will  be  a  guar- 
antee that  the  Association  is  what  it  claims  to  be. 

e.  Experience. — A  very  desirable  qualification  is  wide 
Association  experience  ;  and  yet  a  number  of  less  experi- 
enced but  promising  young  men  may  wisely  be  admitted 
to  the  board — men  who  will  learn  readily  from  the  older 
members. 

f.  Interest. — "With  rare  exceptions,  no  man,  however 
well  qualified  otherwise,  should  be  chosen,  unless  he  has 
that  genuine  interest  in  the  work  which  will  lead  him  to 
give  it  thorough  attention. 

g.  Loyalty  to  the  Association. — A  director  should  be 
one  who  believes  thoroughly  in  the  mission  and  work  of 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  who  has  the  cour- 
age of  his  convictions,  and  can  give  at  any  time  an  intelli- 
gent and  sufficient  reason  for  his  belief. 

A.  Loyalty  to  the  Church. — He  should  be  in  full  sym- 
pathy with  his  own  church  and  with  his  pastor.  This  is 
essential  in  order  to  a  cordial  relationship  between  his 
church  and  the  Association. 

i.  Christian  activity. — He  should  be  a  worker,  active  in 
both  his  church  and  the  Association.  He  will  probably 
be  unable  because  of  multiplied  duties  to  attend  regularly 
all  the  stated  meetings  of  the  Association,  but  he  should 
be  in  practical  sympathy  with  all  Christian  effort  and 
active  to  the  extent  of  his  ability. 

j.  Catholicity. — He  should  be  a  man  of  broad  heart, 
who  can  recognize  a  brother  in  every  true  follower  of 
Christ. 

k.  Age. — He  should  not  be  too  young  for  good  judg- 
ment and  experience,  nor  too  old  for  sympathy  and  act- 
ive co-operation. 


Chap.  7,  A,  3.  the  management.  83 

i.—PESBONAL  DUTIES. 

a.  A  director  should  become  conversant,  if  not  already 
so,  with  the  local  work,  even  in  its  details,  that  he  may- 
act  wisely  upon  all  questions  coming  before  the  board.  In 
such  action  a  knowledge  of  the  history  and  work  of  the 
Associations  in  general  is  indispensable.  It  can  be  se- 
cured by  reading  Association  publications,  visiting  Asso- 
ciations, attending  conventions,  etc. 

b.  He  should  so  identify  himself  with  the  active  work 
of  the  Association  as  to  keep  in  sympathy  with  it  and 
know  its  needs.  He  should  be  a  frequent  visitor  at  the 
rooms,  and,  if  practicable,  should  assume  some  direct  re- 
sponsibility, especially  in  connection  with  the  religious 
work.  A  board  made  up  of  men  thus  personally  active 
will  never  fail  in  interest  or  efficiency. 

c.  He  should  bring  to  the  management  of  the  Associa- 
tion his  best  business  ability.  As  a  trustee  of  funds  con- 
tributed to  this  special  work,  he  should  know  how  the 
money  is  spent.  He  should  act  as  he  would  in  his  own 
affairs. 

d.  He  should  be  a  contributor  to  the  work  financially, 
according  to  his  means.  His  position  and  supposed  in- 
terest in  the  work  naturally  call  for  this,  and  his  example 
will  influence  others. 

e.  It  is  the  duty  of  a  director  to  aid  personally  in  the 
solicitation  of  funds.  Men  of  business  can  best  reach 
business  men,  and  much  of  the  means  to  support  the  As- 
sociation must  come  from  the  well-to-do  part  of  the  com- 
munity. 

/.  He  should  be  prompt  in  attendance  at  the  meetings 
of  the  board.  It  is  extremely  vexatious  to  busy  men  to 
wait  for  one  or  two  laggards  to  effect  a  quorum.  Twice 
the  necessary  time  is  consumed,  and  the  board  meeting 
becomes  an  irksome  duty. 

(/.  He  should  sustain  intimate  relations  to  the  presi- 
dent and  general  secretary.  Mutual  counsel  and  sugges- 
tion are  of  great  value,  and  manifest  interest  on  the  part 


84  THE  MANAGEMENT.  Chap.  7,  A,  3. 

of  members  of  the  board  cannot  fail  to  stimulate  and  en- 
courage the  officers.  The  secretary,  probably  more  than 
any  other  man  he  associates  with,  can  aid  the  director  in 
securing  the  Association  education  and  exj^erience  already 
referred  to  as  indispensable. 

h.  He  is  a  medium  of  communication  between  his  de- 
nomination and  the  Association,  standing  in  each  as  the 
representative  of  the  other.  He  should  study  to  make 
his  denomination  valuable  to  the  Association,  and  the  As- 
sociation helpful  to  his  denomination,  thus  welding  the 
bond  of  sympathy  between  the  two. 

Z.— DUTIES  OF  THE  BOARD. 

a.  The  board  of  directors  is  responsible  for  the  judi- 
cious management  of  the  business  affairs  of  the  Associa- 
tion, its  headquarters,  and  employes.  It  must  see  that  the 
funds  are  used  to  the  best  possible  advantage,  and  that 
promptness  and  exactness  characterize  all  transactions  of 
the  Association. 

b.  The  board  has  a  general  supervision  of  every  de- 
partment, and  should  have  a  plan  by  which  its  members 
systematically  visit  the  rooms  and  see  for  themselves  all 
the  practical  details  of  the  work.  Attention  should  be 
given  to  the  various  secular  agencies,  the  character  of  the 
working  force,  the  meetings  for  prayer  and  Bible  study, 
and  the  culture  of  those  beginning  the  Christian  life. 

c.  If  a  large  share  of  each  meeting  is  devoted  to  the 
discussion  of  finances,  it  is  a  sure  sign  of  inefficiency  either 
on  the  part  of  the  finance  committee  or  of  the  board  itself. 
AVhere  a  work  is  done  that  wins  for  itself  support,  and  a 
carefully  estimated  budget  is  presented  and  approved  by 
the  board  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  the  efforts  of  an 
energetic  committee  should  solve  the  financial  problem 
before  three  months  of  the  year  have  passed. 

d.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  board  to  familiarize  itself  with 
the  number  and  different  classes  of  young  men  upon  its 
own  field  and  their  special  needs,  and  then  to  outline  the 


Chap.  7,  A,  3.  the  management.  85 

jjlans  of  operation  by  which  the  Association  shall  reach 
and  benefit  them.  The  details  of  these  plans  should  not 
absorb  the  time  of  the  board,  but  be  referred  to  the  proper 
committees.  At  the  same  time  its  familiarity  with  the 
whole  work  should  be  such  as  to  enable  it  so  to  counsel 
each  committee  as  to  prevent  mistake  or  failure.* 

e.  To  the  board  chosen  by  and  from  the  active  mem- 
bership should  be  intrusted,  as  in  other  business  corpora- 
tions, the  choice  of  the  officers  of  the  Association.  (See 
*' Constitution — Suggestive  Outline,"  Chap.  5,  13.)  Thus 
the  tendency  to  wire-pulling  and  contests  resulting  in  bitter 
feeling  are  likely  to  be  avoided,  and  greater  harmony  will 
exist  in  the  management. 

f.  That  the  placing  of  responsibility  for  the  guidance  of 
the  Association  in  the  hands  of  the  board  of  directors  may 
not  lead  to  a  lack  of  interest  on  the  part  of  other  active 
members,  special  effort  should  be  made  to  preserve  a  vital 
contact  between  the  board  and  the  working  force.  The 
monthly  or  quarterly  meetings  should  be  made  as  attract- 
ive as  possible.  (See  "Members'  Meetings,"  Chap.  9,  H.) 
The  committees  of  the  Association  should  report  thereto, 
and  a  statement  from  the  board  of  its  operations  would 
add  interest  to  the  meeting.  The  various  committees  may 
from  time  to  time  meet  with  the  board,  or  its  executive 
committee^  for  conference  about  their  work. 

(J.  That  the  meetings  of  the  board  be  successful  in  at- 
tendance, interest,  and  results,  they  should  be  held  regu- 
larly, at  a  uniform  time  most  convenient  to  the  greatest 
number,  and  as  a  rule  at  the  rooms  of  the  Association. 
Meetings  are  sometimes  held  at  the  home  of  a  director, 
and  at  a  meal  hour.  They  should  begin  promptly  and  not 
be  too  long.  To  this  end  a  carefully  digested  programme 
of  the  business  to  be  transacted  should  be  prepared  and 
adhered  to,  time  being  given  at  the  close  for  any  necessary 
miscellaneous  matters.     Memoranda  of  important  items  in 

*  See  "Some  things  apt  to  be  neglected,"  "  Watchman,"  1889,  p.  484. 


86  THE  MANAGEMENT.  Chap.  7,  A,  4. 

the    programme   should    accompany  the  notices   sent  to 
directors. 

h.  The  board,  as  such,  should  sustain  cordial  relations 
with  its  general  secretary.  It  should  have  a  correct  ap- 
preciation of  his  position  both  in  relation  to  the  board  and 
the  Association.  His  regular  attendance  at  board  and 
committee  meetings  should  be  provided  for  in  the  by-laws, 
and  no  action  relating  to  the  general  work  should  be  taken 
without  his  knowledge.  The  board  should  relieve  him 
as  far  as  possible  from  care  and  labor  in  connection 
with  the  finances.  In  no  case  should  he  be  expected  to 
solicit  or  collect  funds  for  his  own  salary.  It  is  the 
special  duty  of  the  board  to  see  that  the  secretary  is 
adequately  and  promptly  jjaid.  It  is  also  the  duty  of  the 
board,  both  as  a  body  and  individually,  to  co-operate 
heartily  with  him  in  all  proper  plans  for  the  advancement 
of  the  work,  and  reasonable  requests  for  special  help  should 
meet  with  ready  compliance,  even  at  the  expense  of  per- 
sonal sacrifice.  The  secretary  should  be  sent,  when  prac- 
ticable, to  district,  State,  and  International  Conventions, 
and  to  secretaries'  conferences,  at  the  expense  of  the  Asso- 
ciation. Such  attendance  is  essential  to  his  highest  efii- 
ciency,  and  equally  promotes  the  best  welfare  of  the  local 
Association  and  of  the  cause  at  large.  The  secretary 
should  also  be  given  a  reasonable  yearly  vacation,  and 
the  time  needed  each  week  for  study  and  recreation.  * 

\.— COMPOSITION. 

a.  If  the  board  is  too  large,  it  will  not  only  prove  un- 
wieldy, but  likely  to  have  among  its  number  some  who  do 
not  possess  the  requisite  qualifications,  and  whose  presence 
(or  oftener  absence)  will  prove  a  hindrance  rather  than  a 
help.  In  practice  the  number  is  generally  between  eleven 
and  twenty-one. 

h.  It  is  desirable  that  the  term  of  office  cover  several 
years,  say  three,  only  a  portion  of  the  board  being  chosen 

♦  See  "  Duty  of  the  board  of  directors  to  the  general  secretary,"  Int.  pph.  No.  678. 


Chap.  7,  B,  1.  THE  MANAaEMENT.  87 

at  each  election.  This  gives  a  stability  to  the  operations 
of  the  Association  impossible  where  the  entire  board  is 
elected  annually. 

c.  The  affiliating  denominations  should  be  fairly  repre- 
sented on  the  board. 

d,  A  good  man  is  usually  kept  on  the  board  as  long  as 
he  will  serve.  The  interests  of  an  Association  demand 
tried  men  in  its  important  positions.  Its  offices  are  not 
dispensed  as  personal  favors,  and  the  matter  is  too  serious 
for  experiment. 


SECTION  B. 

THE      OFFICERS. 

1. — Tlie  president,  should  be  a  man  specially  fitted  to 
lead.  The  general  qualifications  already  enumerated  as 
desirable  in  a  director  should  not  be  lacking.  As 
peculiarly  the  representative  man  of  the  Association,  he 
should  be  strong  in  every  essential  characteristic  of  a 
Christian  business  man,  and  possess  the  respect  of  the  en- 
tire community.  In  the  older  Associations  it  will  be  a  gain 
to  select  from  the  active  workers  one  who  has  already 
proved  his  love  for  the  work  ;  but  care  should  be  taken  not 
to  choose  a  man  who  is  already  overworked,  or  whose  im- 
pulses will  lead  him  to  promise  more  than  he  can  perform. 
There  is  real  work  to  be  done,  and  no  one  should  occupy 
the  position  who  cannot  give  to  its  duties  the  requisite 
time.  A  man  should  never  be  chosen  simply  because  of 
his  social  or  business  position.  As  a  rule,  active  business 
men  make  the  best  executive  officers.  Themselves  in 
the  midst  of  aifairs,  they  are  alert  and  quick  to  devise 
new  methods.  They  are  in  sympathy  with  the  young 
men  about  them,  and  their  own  success  and  activity 
inspire  confidence  and  respect.  A  talent  for  public  speak- 
ing is   often   advantageous,  but  with   a  heart   full   of   a 


88  THE  MANAGEMENT.  Chap.  7,  B,  2. 

good  subject,  a  simple,  straightforward  talk  will  always 
gain  respect  and  attention.  The  president  should  not  as- 
sume nor  expect  to  do  everything,  but  should  use  his  best 
efforts  to  enlist  and  guide  others,  counseling  and  co-operat- 
ing with  the  other  officers  and  with  the  various  committees. 
He  should,  after  consultation  with  the  general  secretary, 
appoint  the  chairmen  and  members  of  all  standing  com- 
mittees. All  additions  to  standing  committees  should 
be  made  by  him  ;  and  he  should  have  power,  with  the 
consent  of  the  board,  to  drop  members  from  committees, 
or  to  disband  or  reorganize  committees,  standing  or  special. 
He  should  be  a  member  ex  officio  of  all  committees.  He 
should,  under  the  direction  of  the  trustees  or  directors,  as 
the  constitution  may  provide,  sign  all  leases  and  other 
contracts  of  the  Association.  Punctuality,  earnestness, 
kindness,  and  impartiality  should  characterize  his  relations 
both  to  the  business  meetings  and  affairs,  and  to  the  in- 
dividual members. 

2. — The  treasurer  needs  fin?.ncial  tact,  and  should  have 
the  confidence  of  the  community.  His  duties  are  to  re- 
ceive all  funds  of  the  Association,  which  he  should  keep  in 
a  separate  bank  account  as  treasurer,  the  same  to  be  dis- 
bursed under  direction  of  the  board,  and  upon  properly 
certified  vouchers.  Also  to  report  monthly  in  writing  to 
the  board  the  receipts,  expenditures,  and  obligations  of  the 
Association.  He  should  submit  an  annual  report  of  receipts 
and  expenditures,  with  vouchers  of  the  same,  to  the 
finance  committee,  of  which  committee  he  is  usually  an 
ex  officio  member.  A  report  should  also  be  made  at  the 
anniversary  meeting.  It  is  desirable  that  the  treasurer 
hold  all  membership  tickets,  keeping  an  account  of  those 
issued  to  the  general  secretary  or  other  officers  disposing 
of  them. 

3.  —  The  recording  secretary  needs  to  be  a  ready  and 
methodical  writer,  that  he  may  be  able  to  keep  cor- 
rect records  of  business  proceedings.  He  will  keep  the 
minutes  of  all  meetings  of  the  board  and  of  the  Associa- 


Chap.  7,  B,  4.  the  manaoement.  89 

tion  in  separate  books  provided  for  the  purpose,  notify 
officers  and  committees  of  their  election  or  appointment, 
and  furnish  the  chairman  of  each  committee  with  a  list  of 
the  members  thereof  and  with  a  draft  of  the  business  from 
time  to  time  assigned  to  such  committee.  He  will  also 
receive  and  file  the  written  reports  of  the  committees. 
Some  Associations  require  the  secretary  to  submit  to  them, 
at  stated  times,  an  abstract  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
board.  The  recording  secretary  should  also  notify  active 
members  of  their  election,  unless  this  duty  is  otherwise 
provided  for. 

4. — In  many  of  the  smaller  Associations  when  a  paid 
secretary  cannot  be  maintained  his  place  is  partially  sup- 
plied by  a  voluntary  officer  to  whom  custom  has  given 
the  name  of  executive  secretary.  In  such  an  Association 
the  young  man  possessing  the  best  average  of  qualifica- 
tions, according  the  standards  given  in  chapters  10  to  12 
on  *'The  General  Secretary,"  including  available  time,  is 
selected  for  this  position  and  retained  in  it  as  long  as 
practicable.  His  duties  will  approximate  as  near  as  may 
be  to  those  of  the  paid  secretary.  In  many  instances 
very  efficient  service  has  been  performed  by  such  officers, 
and  in  several  cases  men  have  been  led  by  this  means  into 
the  general  secretaryship.  For  a  detailed  statement  of 
the  work  of  this  officer,  see  "Work  of  an  executive  sec- 
retary," Int.  pph.  No.  556.  The  chapters  just  referred  to 
also  contain  many  valuable  suggestions  to  such  an  officer. 


I 


CHAPTER   8. 
STANDING  COMMITTEES.* 


SECTION  A. 

IMPORTANCE,    ENLISTMENT,   AND    COMPOSITION. 

1. — Organization  secures  the  largest  result  from  a  given 
amount  of  exertion.  It  gives  definiteness  of  purpose, 
fixes  responsibility  on  individuals,  and  enlists  and  puts  in 
training  a  larger  number  of  workers.  As  different  men  are 
fitted  for  different  kinds  of  work,  organization,  through  a 
division  of  labor,  taking  advantage  of  adaptation,  puts 
the  right  man  in  the  right  place.  Statistics  show  that  the 
thoroughly  organized  Associations  are  doing  the  most  and 
the  best  work.     (See  '*  Secretarialism,"  Chap.  11,  B,  5.) 

2. — In  the  Associations  the  committee  is  the  chief  means 
of  organization,  and  the  committees  of  any  individual 
Association  will  generally  index  its  character  and  efficiency. 
Too  much  attention  can  hardly  be  given  to  the  proper 
construction,  adjustment,  and  methods  of  this  agency. 

3. — That  there  may  be  unity  of  purpose  and  action,  all 
committees  should  work  under  the  direction  of  one  head. 
This  head  is  the  board  of  directors  ;  the  president  and 
general  secretary  being  the  thought  and  will  forces,  and 
the  committees  hands  and  feet,  running  and  reaching  out, 
each  having  its  particular  duty,  but  each  in  harmony  with 
the  whole. 

4. — It  is  desirable  that  the  largest  practicable  number 
of  active  members  be  on  the  committees.    Each  man  should 

•  This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  lut.  pph.  No.  53, 


Chap.  8,  A,  6.         STANDiNa  committkks.  91 

have  some  definite  work,  but  to  make  sure  of  his  doing  it 
you  must  "  organize  "  him.  How  men  are  to  be  enlisted, 
interested,  made  efficient,  and  retained  in  the  work,  are 
vital  questions  that  come  almost  daily  before  the  presi- 
dent and  general  secretary.  There  should  be  kept  a 
special  **  committee  memorandum  book"  with  a  full  list  of 
every  committee,  and  as  the  work  of  the  year  progresses 
the  secretary  should  observe  and  make  notes  as  to  the 
success  and  adaptation  of  the  different  chairmen  and 
members.  If  this  is  done  with  system  and  discrimination, 
he  will  have  a  knowledge  of  the  men  that  will  enable  him 
to  suggest  to  the  president  any  needed  changes,  and  at 
the  beginning  of  a  new  year  to  place  in  his  hands  a  revised 
list  formed  on  the  basis  of  observation  and  experience. 
Sometimes  an  interleaved  copy  of  the  annual  report  is  used 
for  this  purpose. 

5. — In  a  new  held  this  work  of  enlistment  will  require 
time  and  patience.  The  matter  must  first  be  talked  up, 
both  publicly  and  personally.  Call  meetings  of  active 
members — perhaps  a  members'  tea — at  which  pithy  papers 
on  committee  work,  its  importance  and  methods,  may  be 
read  and  discussed.  Obtain  printed  papers  and  articles 
from  Association  periodicals  bearing  upon  this  subject 
and  put  them  into  the  hands  of  the  men  you  wish  specially 
to  reach.     Be  sure  they  read  them. 

6. — Watch  for  impressions  made.  Then  take  the  men, 
one  by  one,  and  talk  with  them,  earnestly  but  judiciously, 
about  the  work  to  be  done.  Give  them  a  choice,  if  possi- 
ble ;  they  will  generally  have  preferences  as  to  the  kind  of 
work  they  will  undertake.  A  strong  point  is  gained  if 
they  are  led  to  volunteer.  This  may  be  done  in  a  general 
way  at  the  meeting  spoken  of.  Some  secretaries  send  to 
members  a  memorandum  of  the  lines  of  work  sufficiently  in 
detail,  with  a  request  that  they  will  designate  their  prefer- 
ence. This  work  is  of  course  only  preliminary,  and  must  be 
followed  up,  readjusted,  and  completed;  for  such  preferences 
are  often  wisely  changed  on  consultation  with  the  officers. 


92  STANDING^  COMMITTEES.  Chap.  8,  A,  7. 

7. — In  the  selection  of  committees  some  care  should  be 
taken  as  to  representation  from  the  several  denominations 
and  classes  in  the  Association,  but  the  first  requisite 
should  be  adaptation.  There  must  however  be  no  unjust 
discrimination.  The  committees  are  composed  only  of 
active  members.     (See  Chap.  9,  G,  5.) 

8. — Do  not  put  a  man  on  too  many  committees — rarely 
on  more  than  two.  There  will  be  a  tendency  to  do  this  in 
the  case  of  some  who  are  capable  and  willing.  Such  men, 
however,  should  not  be  overloaded.  They  have  duties  in 
connection  with  their  churches  and  elsewhere,  which  they 
must  not  neglect,  and  they  cannot  do  good  work  Avith  too 
many  irons  in  the  fire.  It  may  be  admissible  for  the 
chairman  of  one  committee  to  occupy  a  subordinate 
position  on  another,  if  a  dearth  of  proper  material  seems 
to  require  it. 

9. — If  you  get  a  man  in  the  right  place,  keep  him  there. 
In  the  annual  reconstruction  be  sure  to  leave  some  experi- 
enced man  on  each  committee.  Let  changes  be  made  for 
a  purpose.  Experiment  with  caution.  Still  let  it  be  kept 
in  mind  that  a  judicious  system  of  rotation  will  produce  a 
more  evenly  developed  membership. 

10. — After  the  committees  are  appointed  call  them  to- 
gether at  a  committee  tea.  Make  the  occasion  a  pleasant 
one.  Get  the  members  thoroughly  acquainted  with  each 
other.  Give  some  carefully  prepared  instruction  as  to 
general  principles  and  methods  of  committee  work.  Devote 
some  time  before  the  close  to  earnest  prayer,  enlisting  the 
hearts  of  the  members.  It  may  be  of  advantage  to  sep- 
arate into  sections  for  a  short  portion  of  the  evening. 
This  will  be  specially  helpful  to  such  committees  as  may 
not  have  organized. 


Chap.  8,  B,  4.         standing  committees.  93 


SECTIOlSr  B. 

HOW  TO  ORGANIZE  A  COMMITTEE.       THE   CHAIRMAN,  ETC. 

1. — All  Standing  committees  should  be  appointed  by  the 
president  (See  Chap.  V,  B,  l),  who  should  also,  with  the 
consent  of  the  board,  increase  or  diminish  their  member- 
ship during  the  year,  when  desirable.  Courtesy  and  the 
welfare  of  the  work,  and  usually  the  by-laws,  require  that 
the  general  secretary  be  consulted.  Rules  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  committees  should  be  made  by  the  board. 
Each  committee  should  keep  permanent  records  of  all  its 
transactions.  The  president  and  general  secretary  should  be 
notified  of  all  meetings.  The  number  of  committees  may  be 
materially  lessened  by  a  judicious  sub-division  of  a  single 
one.  Thus  a  general  committee  in  charge  of  the  religious 
work  may  include  the  care  of  the  various  meetings,  visit- 
ing the  sick,  distribution  of  religious  literature,  invitations, 
etc.,  each  sub-division  having  its  own  chairman. 

2. — The  chairman  of  each  committee  should  be  appointed 
by  the  president,  not  chosen  by  the  committee.  He  should 
be  a  person  of  some  experience,  the  best  available  for  the 
position,  for  on  him  will  depend  largely  the  success  of  the 
committee.  He  must  be  a  man  of  executive  force.  He  is 
not  to  do  all  the  Avork  himself,  but  is  responsible  for  it, 
and  must  see  that  it  is  done.  Consultation  with  a  chair- 
man regarding  the  make-up  of  liis  committee  previous  to 
its  appointment  is  always  desirable. 

3. — The  newly  appointed  chairman  should  at  once  in- 
form himself  thoroughly  in  regard  to  the  particular  sphere 
of  his  own  committee.  He  can  do  this  by  conference  with 
the  general  secretary  and  with  former  chairmen  of  the 
committee,  and  by  studying  Association  publications.  An 
excellent  plan  also  will  be  to  open  a  correspondence  with 
chairmen  of  like  committees  in  successful  Associations. 

4. — As  soon  as  may  be,  he  is  to  call  the  members  of  his 
committee  together.     At  this  meeting  the  general  secretary 


94  STANDING  COMMITTEES.  Chap.  8,  B,  5. 

should  always  be  present.  There  should  be  earnest  prayer 
for  guidance  in  completing  the  organization  and  outlining 
the  work. 

5. — A  permanent  secretary  is  needed,  one  who  will  be 
regular  in  attendance,  and  keep  careful  minutes  of  all 
meetings.  It  is  also  his  duty  to  see  that  records  are  kept 
of  all  statistical  information  coming  within  the  province 
of  his  committee,  and  to  tabulate  the  same  for  use  in  the 
reports.     This  last  is  of  special  importance. 

6. — The  work  of  the  committee  must  be  systematically 
laid  out,  special  duties  given  to  each  member,  and  sub- 
committees formed  when  necessary.  No  man  should  be 
assigned  a  duty  without  an  expressed  willingness  to  accept 
the  same,  but  having  assumed  a  responsibility  he  should 
be  held  strictly  to  it. 

7. — A  time  should  be  fixed  for  stated  meetings  of  the 
committee,  and  the  meetings  held.  Economy  of  time  and 
effort  can  often  be  promoted  by  holding  such  meetings 
immediately  before  meetings  of  the  board  or  Association, 
or  by  holding  several  committee  meetings  on  the  same 
evening.  Their  frequency  will  vary  with  the  different 
committees.  The  regular  meetings  should  not  be  too  fre- 
quent ;  it  is  better  to  call  a  special  meeting  occasionally. 
The  chairman  should  carefully  arrange  the  business  to  be 
transacted,  that  there  may  be  no  waste  of  time.  He  should 
also  make  it  a  point  to  have  ready  some  matter  of  interest 
relating  to  his  department  ;  an  article  from  a  recent  num- 
ber of  "  The  Young  Men's  Era,"  items  or  statistics  from 
some  Association  bulletin  or  report,  or  a  letter  from  a 
neighboring  chairman.  With  some  painstaking  the  com- 
mittee meeting  may  be  rendered  bright  and  instructive,  a 
place  to  which  the  members  will  delight  to  come.  Occa- 
sional intervisitation  between  similar  committees  of  con- 
tiguous Associations  will  be  an  excellent  stimulus. 

8. — A  system  of  reports  should  be  provided  for,  from 
tlie  sub-committees,  where  there  are  such,  to  the  committee, 
and  also  from  the  committee  to  the  board  and  Association. 


Chap.  8,  B,  11.  STANDING  COMMITTEES.  95 

These  should  be  made  at  stated  times,  and  whether  brief 
or  full,  invariably  in  writing.  This  is  essential,  that  they 
may  be  filed  for  reference.  It  is  desirable  that  all  reports 
either  of  transactions  or  statistics  end  with  the  calendar 
month. 

9. — The  committee  should,  before  the  close  of  each  year, 
make  a  careful  estimate  of  any  needed  expenditures  in 
connection  with  its  work  for  the  following  year,  and  sub- 
mit the  same  to  the  board,  or  executive  committee.  If 
considered  a,  wise  expenditure,  this  will  be  included  in  the 
general  budget  of  the  finance  committee,  and  in  the  appro- 
priations of  the  board.  The  members  of  each  committee 
should  be  made  personally  responsible,  by  a  provision  of 
the  constitution,  for  any  bills  incurred  by  them  in  excess 
of  the  appropriation.  Money  coming  to  a  committee  by 
special  subscriptions,  etc.,  should  be  passed  into  the  Asso- 
ciation treasury  and  be  added  to  the  regular  appropriation 
to  such  committee.  No  money,  however,  should  be  so- 
licited, nor  entertainment  held  for  securing  funds,  without 
authorization  of  the  board  of  directors.  Each  committee 
should  keep  an  account  of  its  receipts  and  expenditures. 

10. — The  relations  of  the  committees  to  the  general  sec- 
retary should  be  very  cordial.  There  should  also  be  oc- 
casional meetings  of  each  committee  with  the  management. 
These  are  needed  both  to  familiarize  the  latter  with  the 
details  of  the  work,  and  for  the  encouragement  of  the 
committee.  Each  committee  should  be  made  to  feel  the 
important  place  it  occupies  in  the  general  work,  the  duties 
and  honors  connected,  with  its  service  should  be  emphasized, 
and  an  earnest  Christian  esprit  de  corps  created  and 
maintained. 

11. — Each  member  of  a  committee  should  become  per- 
sonally acquainted  with  the  chairman  and  assure  him  of 
his  support.  He  should  expect  the  chairman  to  plan  and 
direct  the  work,  but  not  to  do  more  than  his  share  in  its 
execution.  He  should  inform  himself  in  regard  to  his 
duties,  and   ask  to  be   excused  from  responsibility  only  in 


96  STANDING  COMMITTEES.  Chap.  8,  C,  1. 

cases  of  necessity.  He  should  be  a  prompt  attendant  at 
the  meetings  of  the  committee,  notifying  the  chairman  if 
obliged  to  be  absent.  Any  member  should  be  free  to  offer 
a  helpful  suggestion  or  a  kindly  criticism,  but  only  at  a 
proper  time  and  place. 

(See  also  "  Standing  Committees,"  Chap.  5,  B,  14  and  15.) 


SECTION  C. 

PRINCIPLES    AND    METHODS    OF    CONSTRUCTION. 

1. — There  is  great  diversity  regarding  the  number,  con- 
struction, designation,  and  duties  of  the  committees,  and 
as  to  which  are  of  the  board,  and  which  of  the  Association. 
In  general  those  that  are  mainly  for  matters  of  business 
should  be  composed  of  the  more  experienced  members. 
The  more  important  committees,  and  especially  those  of 
supervision,  in  all  departments  of  the  work,  should  at  least 
be  officered  by  tried  men,  and  include  some  experienced 
workers  ;  but  these  may  have  associated  with  them  for  the 
directly  personal  and  aggressive  work  the  younger  and 
more  active  element. 

2. — In  many  Associations  the  work  is  so  extended  and 
the  responsibility  so  great,  involving  large  outlay,  and  fre- 
quently the  care  of  property  and  the  administration  of 
trust  funds,  that  there  must  necessarily  be  more  complexity 
and  fixedness  in  the  composition  of  the  management  than 
is  needed  elsewhere.  The  smaller  Associations  require 
fewer  and  smaller  committees,  and  should  never  undertake 
to  carry  out  a  scheme  that  is  too  extensive  for  their  needs. 
Each  Association  must  arrange  its  own  system,  remember- 
ing that  the  simplest  machinery  practicable  is  the  best, 
running  with  the  least  friction  and  liability  to  derange- 
ment. 

3. — It  might  be  impossible  to  suggest  a  plan  suited 
to  all    organizations,   varying  so   greatly   as   they  do    in 


Chap.  8,  C,  4.  STANDING   COMMITTEES.  97 

city,  town,  and  country.  It  would  be  equally  futile  to 
attempt  even  an  outline  of  the  many  excellent  features  of 
existing  plans.  Many  an  Association  believes  its  own 
peculiar  system,  built  up  through  years  of  experience,  like 
an  old  mansion  to  which  rooms  have  been  added  as  needed 
by  the  growing  family,  to  be  the  best,  and  would  be  slow 
to  consider  any  radical  change  in  it. 

4. — But  as  it  seems  desirable  to  group  together  the  va- 
rious committees  needed  in  a  large  Association  in  some 
systematic  plan,  the  following  is  presented,  although  with 
diffidence,  due  to  its  not  having  been  thoroughly  tested  in 
detail.  This  plan  has  been  made  up  from  many  models, 
and  possesses  a  flexibility  by  which  it  may  be  adapted  to 
the  majority  of  the  Associations  without  affecting  its  gen- 
eral principles. 

a.  The  board  of  directors,  as  a  matter  of  course,  to 
have  general  supervision  of  the  entire  field. 

h.  This  field  to  have  two  principal  divisions  :  first, 
the  business  management ;  second,  the  general  work. 

c.  The  business  management  to  be  under  the  direct 
supervision  of  a  finance  committee,  except  such  part  as 
may  be  controlled  by  the  trustees,  if  such  exist.  There 
will  also  be  general  auditors,  independent  of  the  finance 
committee,  for  the  stated  auditing  of  all  the  accounts. 

d.  The  second  division,  that  of  the  general  work,  to 
contain  the  six  departments  of  religious,  educational,  phys- 
ical, social,  information  and  relief,  and  boys'  work,  each 
under  its  appropriate  committee ;  together  with  any  branches 
under  the  management  of  the  Association. 

e.  An  executive  committee  to  have  the  supervision  of 
the  general  work  with  its  committees  ;  of  the  building  or 
rooms,  and  appliances,  except  such  details  as  may  be  dele- 
gated to  other  committees  ;  and  of  the  employes.* 

*  It  is  considered  proper  for  this  committee  to  delegate  siich  details  as  it  may 
think  wise  to  any  of  the  department  committees,  and  in  some  instances  nearly  the 
entire  management,  thus  relieving  itself  of  all  but  general  supervision  and  the  re- 
sponsibility. 


98  STANDi:\^G  COMMITTEES.  Chap.  8,  C,  4. 

f.  The  executive  and  finance  committees  to  be  com- 
posed exclusively  of  members  of  the  board. 

g.  Some  members  of  each  department  committee,  at 
least  the  chairman,  if  possible,  to  be  of  the  board,  the 
others  from  the  active  membership. 

Ji.  The  executive  committee,  when  practicable,  to  in- 
clude the  chairmen  of  the  several  department  committees, 
and  of  the  finance  committee. 

i.  The  several  department  committees,  and  the  finance 
committee,  to  have  such  sub-committees  as  may  be  re- 
quired. These  to  be  selected  from  the  active  membership 
by  the  president,  on  consultation  with  the  general  secretary 
and  the  chairman  of  the  main  committee,  of  Avhich  at  least 
the  chairman  of  each  sub-committee  should  be  a  member. 

j.  The  principles  of  this  plan  are  (1)  a  systematic 
division  and  sub-division  of  the  work,  all  items  being  as- 
signed to  some  one  of  the  several  well-defined  depart- 
ments ;  (2)  a  system  by  which  the  chairmen  of  the  sub- 
committees, as  far  as  practicable,  compose  the  main  com- 
mittee. This  representative  principle,  running  through 
the  entire  plan  till  it  centers  in  the  executive  and  finance 
committees,  and  the  board  of  directors,  forms  a  succession 
of  links  by  means  of  which  communication  and  supervision 
are  easy,  systematic,  and  complete.* 

The  accompanying  diagram  shows  the  ideal  of  construc- 
tion. The  number  of  committees  needed  and  their  names 
and  size  in  no  way  affect  the  principles  upon  which  the 
plan  is  based. 

The  smaller  Associations  should  adapt  this  plan  to  their 
needs,  rather  than  attempt  to  imitate  it  in  full. 

h.  One  difficulty  in  carrying  out  this  plan,  especially 
in  new  Associations,  would  be  to  find  members  of  the 
board  who  would  be  qualified  to  take  the  department 
chairmanships,  and  who  would  also  devote  the  time  re- 

*  By  arranging  to  have  the  executive  committee  meet  just  previous  to  the  regu- 
lar meeting  of  the  board  or  finance  committee,  etc.,  time  can  be  economized  for 
those  who  may  belong  to  both. 


(Auditors  of  all  Association  Accounts, 
either  of  or  outside  the  membership.) 


HOT 
7}0 
C> 

(f)73 
HO 

mO 
co-n 


Membership    .... 
Auditing,  (Current  bills) 
Publications   .... 
Paid  Entertainments  . 
Extension  Fund      .     . 


Business      ^  ^ 


Department.  3> 


Bible  Classes 

Training  Classes  .... 
Evangelistic  Meetings  .  . 
Social  Religious  Meetings  . 
Church  Committee      .     .     . 

Invitations 

Distrib.  of  Eeligious  Reading 


Religious 


Library  .  .  .  , 
Reading  Room  .  . 
Classes  .  .  .  .  , 
Lectures  and  Talks 
Literary  Societies 


Department. 


Educational 


Gymnasium    .     . 
Athletic  Grounds 
Outing  Clubs 
Health  Talks  .     . 
Purity    .... 


Evening  Reception  Committee 

Entertainments 

Music 

Chess  Club,  etc 

Boarding  House  Bureau       .     . 
Employment  Bureau  .     .     .     . 

Savings  Bureau 

Benefit  Fund 

Visitation  of  Sick 


Department, 


Physical 


Department 


Social 


Department 

Information 
and 


Relief 
Department 


Religious  Work 

Educational  Work       .     .     .         _^__. 

Physical  Work I  Department 

Social  Work ■ 


Boys' 


Railroad,  etc.       .     .     . 
(Women's  Committee) 


Branches. 


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100  STANDING  COMMITTEES.  Chap.  8,  D,  1. 

quired  to  the  careful  oversight  of  the  work.  If  this  were 
impossible,  it  Avould  be  necessary  to  select  active  members, 
not  on  the  board,  for  these  positions,  in  which  case  the 
president  of  the  Association  and  the  executive  or  general 
secretary,  who  sustain  intimate  relations  to  all  committees, 
would  constitute  the  link  between  the  department  com- 
mittees and  the  executive  committee  or  board  of  directors, 
and  it  might  also  be  desirable  that  such  chairmen  attend 
the  meetings  of  the  board.  But  this  difficulty  can  in  time 
be  overcome  by  careful  selection  and  training  of  the  board, 
if  the  plan  is  kept  in  view  as  the  model  toward  which  to 
w^ork. 


SECTION   D. 

NAMES    AND    DUTIES. 

The  following  is  an  outline  of  the  committees  generally 
round  in  the  Associations.  Tlieir  number,  names,  and 
duties  are  hardh^  the  same  in  any  two  constitutions,  and 
probably  will  not  exactly  correspond  in  any  case  with  the 
list  here  given.  Details  are  considered  under  "  Methods 
of  Work,"  Chaps.  18-30. 

1. — Finance  committee. — To  this  committee  is  given 
the  management  of  financial  matters,  except  such  as  belong 
to  the  board  of  trustees,  when  such  board  exists.  (See 
Chaps.  18  and  19.)  It  will  be  its  duty  to  prepare  and 
present  to  the  board  of  directors  an  annual  budget, 
or  estimate  of  receipts  and  expenditures  ;  to  plan  and 
carry  out  a  system  of  ways  and  means,  including 
all  membership  finances  ;  to  keep  an  account  of  appro- 
priations, audit  bills  against  the  Association,  sign  all 
warrants  on  the  treasurer  where  these  are  used,  and  prevent 
overdrafts  on  the  part  of  any  committee  or  person  ex- 
pending money.  It  will  also  be  its  duty  (under  instruc- 
tion of  the  board  of  directors)  to  attend  to  anj^  details 
entrusted  to  it  by  the  trustees,  or,  if  there  are  no  trustees, 


Chap.  8,  D,  3.         STANDi^a  committees.  101 

to  all  duties  usually  pertaining  to  them.  The  items  of 
printing  and  pubiication,  when  a  bulletin  is  issued,  and  of 
a  paid  lecture  course,  if  any,  will  properly  be  placed  with 
this  committee.  This  detail  work  of  the  department  may 
be  performed  either  by  individual  members  of  the  finance 
committee  assigned  to  specific  duties,  or  by  sub-commit- 
tees on  which  may  be  placed  active  members  not 
belonging  to  the  committee.  In  the  latter  case  the  chair- 
man of  the  sub-committee  should  be  a  member  of  the 
finance  committee.  The  raemhership  committee  may  j^rop- 
erly  be  classed  in  the  business  department,  and  may  be 
formed  according  to  the  last  method  stated  above,  under 
the  direction  of  the  finance  committee.  If  desired  there 
may  be  a  sub-committee  on  applications,  to  consist,  per- 
haps, of  members  of  the  board,  and  to  which  shall  be 
referred  all  applications  for  active  membership.  The 
membership  committee  is  specifically  treated  in  chapter 
9,  C.  The  finance  committee  may  have  a  sub-committee 
to  audit  all  bills  and  accounts  presented  for  payment. 
If  a  bulletin  or  a  paid  lecture  course  be  conducted,  the 
first  may  be  placed  in  charge  of  a  publication,  and  the 
second  of  a  lecture  committee. 

2. —  General  auditors^  or  a  committee  on  records  and 
accounts^  will  audit  the  books  of  the  treasurer  and  finance 
committee,  and  of  all  other  persons  and  committees  hand- 
ling funds,  and  also  examine  the  statistical  records.  This 
Avill  usually  consist  of  two  or  three  members  of  the  board 
who  are  not  on  the  finance  committee,  and  who,  perhaps, 
are  so  situated  as  not  to  be  able  to  work  on  any  committee 
save  this  one.  Sometimes  men  outside  of  the  Association 
are  chosen  to  do  this  work. 

3. — Executive  committee. — As  it  is  generally  necessary 
that  the  work  be  under  closer  supervision  than  can  be 
given  by  the  board  itself,  an  "  abridgment  "  of  the  board 
is  constituted,  styled  the  executive  committee.* 

*In  smaller  Associations  this  committee  is  not  generally  needed,  the  work  here 
assigned  to  it  being  performed  by  the  board  itself.  In  this  case  it  would  be 
specially  desirable  for  the  chairmen  of  the  department  committees  to  be  members 


102  STANDING  COMMITTEES.  Chap.  8,  D,  4. 

This  committee  usually  meets  weekly,  and  is  charged 
with  the  full  powers  of  the  board  ad  interim;  except  the 
expenditure  of  money  not  already  appropriated,  and  the 
reversal  of  previous  action  of  the  board.  This  committee 
has  the  supervision  of  all  work  not  delegated  to  the 
finance  commitee  and  trustees,  also  of  the  committees, 
rooms,  appliances,  and  employes  in  connection  with  the 
same.  It  will  also  be  its  duty  to  gather  from  the  com- 
mittees of  the  general  work  expending  money  their 
estimates  for  each  year,  and  present  them,  with  any  sug- 
gestions drawn  from  its  experience,  to  the  finance  commit- 
tee for  incorporation  in  the  annual  budget.  Sometimes 
it  will  authorize  and  supervise  the  expenditures  of  these 
committees  under  the  appropriations.  This  committee, 
as  far  as  practicable,  should  be  composed  of  the  chair- 
men of  the  department  committees  and  of  the  finance 
committee.  All  members  of  the  board  have  a  right  to 
attend  the  meetings  of  the  executive  committee.  The 
chairmen — and,  if  desired,  the  members — of  the  various 
committees  and  sub-committees  should  occasionally  meet 
with  the  executive  committee  for  discussion  of  their  work 
and  of  new  methods  proposed  for  introduction.  All  com- 
mittee reports  may  pass  into  its  hands  for  any  needed 
revision,  or  that  abstracts  may  be  made  for  presentation 
to  the  board  or  Association.  The  executive  committee, 
from  its  composition  and  close  relationship  to  all  the  work, 
is  able  to  present  for  the  action  of  the  board  intelligent, 
practical,  and  carefully  matured  plans  and  suggestions. 
An  accurate  record  should  be  kept  of  all  transactions,  the 
same  to  be  open  to  inspection  by  the  board,  and  to  be  read 
at  its  meetings. 

4. — Religious  worTc. — It  is  desirable  that  all  the  directly 
religious  work  be  under  the  supervision  of  one  committee. 
There  may  be  sub-committees  on  the  various  meetings  and 

of  the  board,  in  order  that  the  departments  might  thus  be  brought  into  direct 
contact  with  it. 

In  the  smaUest  Associations  (as  suggested  in  Chap.  5,  14.)  there  is  no  board  of 
directors,  but  its  work  is  done  by  au  executive  committee,  which  must  not  be 
confoixnc.ed  with  the  committee  of  that  name  mentioned  here. 


Chap.  8,  D,  8.         standing  committees.  103 

Bible  classes,  the  different  meetings  outside  the  rooms,  and 
such  lines  of  work  as  invitation,  visitation,  etc.  The  work 
sometimes  carried  on  by  "yoke  fellows"  and  kindred 
organizations  might  much  better  be  conducted  by  a  sub- 
division of  this  committee.  The  church  committee  is  a 
bond  between  the  Association  and  the  individual  churches, 
to  interest  the  churches  in  the  Association's  work,  and  to 
introduce  young  men  led  to  Christ  in  the  Association  to  a 
church  home.  It  sometimes  co-operates  with  the  member- 
ship committee.  Effort  in  the  direction  of  temperance 
and  personal  purity  may  also  be  made  under  appropriate 
sub-committees  of  this  department,  in  co-operation  with 
the  physical  department,  where  these  matters  are  placed  in 
classification.     (See  Chaps.  21  and  22.) 

5. — Educatio7ial  work. — In  this  department  are  the 
library,  the  reading  room,  evening  classes,  educational 
lectures  or  "  practical  talks  "  (including  "  health  talks,"  in 
co-operation  with  the  physical  department),  and  the  literary 
society,  each  of  which  divisions  may  be  placed  under  a  sub- 
committee.    (See  Chap.  24.) 

6. — Physical  loork. — To  this  department  and  under  the 
general  supervision  of  its  committee  belong  the  gymnasium 
and  baths,  the  various  outdoor  sports,  "  health  talks,"  and 
efforts  to  promote  personal  purity.     (See  Chap.  25.) 

7. — Social  vnork. — The  committee  in  charge  of  this  depart- 
ment will  have  an  important  duty  in  planning  and  con- 
ducting the  members'  meetings  and  receptions,  and  another 
in  connection  with  the  evening  reception  work  at  the  rooms. 
The  members  of  the  evening  committee  will,  from  their 
acquaintance  with  those  frequenting  the  rooms,  be  specially 
fitted  to  act  as  ushers  at  the  various  meetings  and  enter- 
tainments, and  it  will  be  well  to  have  them  organized  for 
such  service.  The  matter  of  music,  games,  and  other 
recreations  for  the  social  rooms  belongs  to  this  depart- 
ment, and  requires  Droper  committee  supervision.  (See 
Chap.  26.) 

8. — Information    and  relief  worh. — This   includes  the 


104  STANDING  COMMITTEES.  Chap.  8,  D,  9. 

boarding  house  and  eniploj^ment  bureaus,  the  visitation  of 
the  sick,  tlie  savings  fund,  benefit  fund,  etc.    (See  Chap.  27.) 

9. — Boys'^  work. — The  committee  in  charge  will  adapt 
any  of  the  work  that  is  practicable  in  the  religious,  educa- 
tional, physical,  and  social  departments  to  the  needs  of 
boys.     (See  Chap.  28.) 

10. — Branches. — Where  branch  organization  is  required, 
a  committee  of  the  board  should  have  it  in  charge.  (See 
Chaps.  6  and  29.) 

The  unity  and  efficiency  of  the  work  is  promoted  b}^ 
having  each  general  department  under  the  care  of  a  single 
supervising  committee.  There  is  nothing  in  this  plan  to 
prevent  the  formation  of  literary  societies,  outing  clubs, 
etc.,  with  any  variety  as  to  name  and  organization,  so  long 
as  they  come  under  the  general  principles  of  management 
outlined  here  and  in  chapter  6,  B. 


CHAPTER,  9, 
MEMBERSHIPS 


SECTION  A. 

CLASSES    OF    MEMBERSHIP. 

1. — The  prevailing  opinion  among  the  Associations  is 
that  there  should  be  but  two  general  classes  of  member- 
ship; namely,  active  and  associate.  There  is  a  tendency  to 
do  away  with  such  classes  as  life  and  honorary,  and  to 
consider  designations  relating  to  fees  in  connection  with 
the  department  of  finance,  f     (See  Chap.  18,  A,  2.) 

2. — The  Association  proj^er  consists  of  the  active  mem- 
bers, who  alone  have  the  right  to  vote  and  hold  office.  In 
the  American  Associations  active  members  must  be  members 
in  good  standing  of  an  evangelical  church.  (See  Chap.  3, 
F,  2.)  As  the  Association  is  by  name  and  object  distinct- 
ively Christian  and  evangelical,  there  can  be  no  question 
as  to  the  propriety  of  such  membership  test. J;  Without  it 
there  could  be  no  assurance  that  the  organization  would 
maintain  its  present  character,  and  that  the  property  placed 
in  its  hands  would  continue  to  be  used  for  the  purposes 
intended  by  the  donors. 

3. — Every  application  for  active  membership  should  be 
referred  to  a  responsible  committee  for  investigation,  and 

*  This  Chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  54. 

t  Much  confusion  has  arisen  from  confounding  the  constitutional  condition 
of  membership  with  the  financial  terms  of  the  same.  The  former  are  based 
mainly  upon  the  character  of  the  individual  and  his  relation  to  the  Church,  while 
the  latter  are  governed  by  and  refer  to  the  secular  privileges  he  desires  and  is 
willing  to  pay  tor. 

X  See  "  Tho  test  of  active  membership,"  Int  pph.  No.  555, 


106  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  A,  4. 

reported  by  the  committee  for  final  action.  The  names  of 
persons  proposed  for  active  membership  are  often  posted 
in  the  rooms  previous  to  their  election.  (For  form  of  letter 
notifj^ing  of  election  to  active  membership  see  appendix, 
sample  No.  1.) 

4. — Sixteen  and  forty  years  are  fixed  by  some  Associa- 
tions as  age  limits  in  the  admission  of  active  members.* 
Active  members  passing  the  latter  limit  are  generally 
retained  in  the  same  class. 

5. — Good  moral  character  is  the  only  required  qualifica- 
tion for  associate  membership,  and  it  is  largely  the  practice 
for  the  general  secretary  to  receive  such  members  at  his 
discretion,  without  the  formality  of  a  vote.  But  he  should 
carefully  guard  against  the  admission  of  improper  per- 
sons to  associate  membership  by  making  careful  inquiries 
regarding  them.  A  form  of  letter  to  the  persons  referred 
to  in  application  blanks  is  given  in  the  appendix, 
sample  No.  2.  If  a  doubt  exist  in  any  case,  the  appli- 
cation should  be  referred  to  the  membership  committee, 
the  committee  being  instructed  to  act  in  such  cases. 

6. — Persons  who  are  merely  subscribers  to  current  ex- 
penses, having  no  personal  connection  with  the  work  or 
privileges  of  the  Association,  should  be  denominated  sub- 
scribers or  contributors,  not  members.  No  one  should  be 
considered  a  member  until  he  has  filled  out  the  application 
blank,  and  been  regularly  elected  or  admitted. 


SECTION  B. 

HOW    TO    SECURE    MEMBERS. 

1. — A  membership  must  be  worth  something.  Few 
young  men  will  join  an  Association  as  a  matter  of  simple 
duty.  There  must  be  some  attractive  force.  It  may  be  a 
wide-awake  young  men's  meeting,  a  library,  or  a  gymna- 

*  The  average  age  of  1,513  members  reoaived  in  a  single  year  by  one  of  the  large 
Associations  was  nineteen  years. 


Chap.  9,  B,  4.  MEMBERSHIP.  107 

slum.  A  careful  adaj^tation  of  privileges  to  the  require- 
ments of  prominent  classes  of  young  men,  as  the  mercantile 
or  mechanical,  will  be  specially  helpful. 

2. — Having  something  of  value,  advertise  it.  First,  by 
having  the  building,  or  rooms,  eligibly  located  and  easily 
accessible,  i^ext,  have  conspicuous  and  tasteful  signs. 
Keep  the  privileges  of  the  Association  before  the  people 
by  means  of  the  local  papers,  the  bulletin,  the  annual  j^ros- 
pectus,  and  neatly  framed  cards  in  public  places.  Prepare 
application  blanks  with  privileges  and  terms  of  member- 
ship on  the  back,  for  generous  distribution  at  public  Asso- 
ciation meetings,  and  by  members  in  their  personal  work. 
(See  appendix,  samples  Xos.  3  and  4.)  Especially  let  one  be 
put  promptly  into  the  hand  of  every  young  man  coming 
into  the  city  to  reside.  (See  Chap.  27,  A,  8.)  To  reach  the 
Christian  young  men  hold  occasional  meetings  at  the  sev- 
eral churches,  and  present  the  claims  of  the  work,  the  op- 
portunities for  Christian  service,  and  the  privileges  of  mem- 
bership. To  reach  young  men  more  generally  give  recep- 
tions to  the  various  trades  and  classes  of  the  community  at 
the  rooms  of  the  Association. 

3. — Bring  young  men  into  contact  v  ith  the  work.  Ask 
them  to  come  and  see,  telling  them  of  some  special  occur- 
rence at  the  rooms,  which  you  believe  will  interest  them. 
Investigation  will  often  lead  to  interest.  Some  Associa- 
tions have  presented  young  men  with  visitors'  tickets 
admitting  them  to  the  privileges  of  membership  for  two 
weeks.  Many  of  these  men,  after  testing  tlie  value  of  the 
work,  have  become  members.    (See  appendix,  sample  No. 5.) 

4. — Recognize  the  necessity  of  personal  invitation.  With 
all  desirable  attractions,  and  general  methods  of  advertising 
them,  many  young  men  will  still  need  personal  solicitation 
before  they  will  join  an  Association.  To  this  end  an 
important  factor  is  a  well-organized  and  thorough-going 
committee. 


108  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  C,  1. 

SECTION  C. 

THE    MEMBERSHIP    COMMITTEE. 

1. — This  committee  should  be  composed  of  the  most 
earnest  and  active  young  men  of  the  Association.  It  is 
desirable  that  it  include  representatives  from  all  the 
evangelical  churches,  and  from  the  various  classes  of 
young  men  in  the  community  ;  clerks,  or  young  business 
men  from  the  different  lines  of  trade,  students  from  the 
several  schools  and  professions,  and  apprentices  and  young 
mechanics  from  the  various  manufacturing  establishments, 
each  to  work  among  his  fellows. 

2. — The  members  of  the  committee  must  be  well  informed 
through  study  of  the  annual  report,  prospectus,  and  other 
publications  as  to  the  advantages  of  membership  and  the 
work  generally,  that  they  may  be  able  to  present  the  sub- 
ject with  intelligence  and  force.  In  approaching  Christian 
young  men  they  are  to  urge  the  claims  of  duty  as  well  as 
to  present  the  idea  of  advantage. 

'i. — They  should  realize  the  importance  of  their  work  ; 
that  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  Association  are 
largely  dependent  upon  it.  Each  new  name  means  an 
added  worker  or  another  young  man  to  be  influenced  for 
Christ. 

4. — The  committee  should  be  com^^lete  as  to  its  organi- 
zation, meetings,  and  methods.  Other  committees  should 
be  ready  to  co-operate  with  it,  as  many  of  them  can  do 
with  good  effect.  The  reception  committee  especially  may 
prove  an  efiicient  helper. 

5.  — This  committee  will  have  much  to  do  with  the  pre- 
paratory work  outlined  in  the  previous  section.  Its  princi- 
pal work,  however,  is  more  direct  and  largely  personal. 
It  is  usual  to  put  forth  special  effort  at  stated  times,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  Association  year  or  just  previous  to 
the  opening  of  the  fall  work.  Plans  must  be  prepared 
well  in  advance  by  the  chairman,  and  thoroughly  discussed 


Chap.  9,  C,  G.  MEMBERSHIP.  109 

at  a  full  meeting  of  the  committee.  Lists  of  young  men 
may  be  secured  by  sending  blanks  to  members  of  the 
Association,  and  to  employers  ;  or  by  copying  from  the 
poll  lists  of  the  last  election  the  names  of  young  men, 
aided  by  the  personal  knowledge  of  residents  in  the 
various  election  districts.  Necessary  printed  matter  should 
be  provided,  including  application  blanks,  prospectus,  etc. 
The  blanks  will  be  more  convenient  if  about  the  size 
of  a  postal  card.  Instructions  should  be  explicit  and 
the  necessity  of  using  tact  should  be  emphasized.  There 
must  be  a  systematic  division  of  labor  and  arrangements 
for  a  thorough  canvass.  When  all  is  ready  let  there  be 
a  prompt,  enthusiastic,  and  persistent  advance  along 
the  whole  line.  Following  this  will  be  frequent  meet- 
ings of  the  committee  to  report  progress,  discuss  diffi- 
culties, suggest  new  methods,  and  for  general  encourage- 
ment. The  reflex  influence  of  such  a  campaign  once  a 
year  is  excellent.  In  addition  to  this,  however,  there  must 
be  the  continuous  w^ork.  E very-day  effort  by  the  many, 
along  ordinary  channels,  will  secure  a  sure  and  satisfactory 
aggregate  of  results. 

6. — The  committee  will  generally  have  an  important 
duty  to  discharge  in  connection  with  the  annual  collection 
of  fees.  The  membership  register  should  show  when  the  fees 
fall  due,  and  about  a  month  in  advance  a  carefully  worded 
notice  of  the  fact  should  be  sent  out  ;  in  many  instances  a 
personal  call  will  also  be  necessary.  (See  appendix,  sam- 
ple Ko.  6,  also  section  E,  4  of  this  chapter.)  The  per- 
manency of  the  active  membership  is  especially  important 
and  to  be  promoted  by  every  proper  means.  The  terms 
"expire"  and  "renewal"  as  sometimes  used  in  connec- 
tion w4th  the  membership  tickets,  notices,  etc.,  are  un- 
desirable, and  likely  to  lead  the  holders  to  look  upon 
membership  as  temporary.  (A  form  for  the  monthly 
report  of  this  committee  w^ill  be  found  among  the  blanks 
in  the  appendix  in  connection  with  chapter  20.) 


110  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  D,  1. 

SECTION  D. 

HOW    TO    KETAIX    MEMBERS. 

1. — Do  all  you  advertise  to  do,  fulfilling  your  promises 
to  the  letter.  Each  committee  must  undertake  to  carry  out 
faithfully  its  part  of  the  contract.  The  library  and  social 
rooms,  gymnasium  and  baths,  must  be  open  at  the  specified 
time,  in  proper  order,  and  with  necessary  supervision.  If 
it  is  considered  best  to  close  the  gymnasium  during  a  part 
of  the  summer  or  at  any  other  time,  full  announcement 
should  be  made  in  the  prospectus.  The  classes,  the  lecture 
course,  the  social  and  religious  meetings — all  these  must 
be  maintained  at  the  required  standard  as  to  number  and 
character.  The  rooms  must  be  neat  and  attractive,  and  the 
committee  in  charge,  with  the  secretary,  must  see  that  the 
social  atmosphere  is  what  it  should  be. 

2. — See  that  new  members  become  affiliated.  Get  ac- 
quainted with  them,  learn  their  tastes  and  preferences,  and 
get  them  to  avail  themselves  of  such  privileges  as  they 
need  or  desire.  It  is  a  good  plan,  especially  during  seasons 
when  many  new  members  are  joining,  to  appoint  evenings 
on  which  they  will  receive  special  welcome  and  introduc- 
tion. Every  new  active  member  should  be  offered  some 
definite  work  to  do.  A  man  who  becomes  interested 
will   stay  with   you. 

3. — Have  definite  privileges.  No  matter  how  small  3''our 
Association,  nor  how  few  the  privileges  you  have  to  offer, 
make  the  most  of  these  by  allowing  certain  ones  to  mem- 
bers only.  A  young  man  will  not  prize  a  membership 
which  brings  him  only  the  same  privileges  that  others  enjoy 
without  it.  Let  admission  to  the  members'  meeting,  the 
reception,  and  the  "  practical  talk  "  be  by  ticket.  Allow 
no  visitors  in  the  gymnasium  without  a  pass  from  the 
office,  and  then  only  in  the  gallery  appropriated  to  them. 
Let  the  amusement  room  be  used  only  by  members  and  in- 
vited guests.     Insist  that  non-members  shall  not   frequent 


Chap.  9,  E,  1.  MEMBERSHIP.  Ill 

habitually  the  members'  parlor.  Require  one  frequenting 
the  reading  room  to  register  and  obtain  a  "reader's 
pass."* 

4. — Study  to  add  occasionally  some  new  feature.  Do 
not  get  into  a  rut.  Young  men  tire  of  sameness.  Con- 
tact with  other  Associations,  through  the  conventions, 
correspondence,  and  the  Association  publications,  will  en- 
able a  wide  awake  organization  to  keep  up  a  system  of 
variation  and  improvements  in  methods  of  work.  The  re- 
fitting of  a  room,  new  singing  books,  an  additional  piece  of 
apparatus  in  the  gymnasium,  a  new  game  in  the  recreation 
room,  an  evening  class  in  some  new  and  popular  branch  of 
study,  an  added  feature  in  outdoor  sports,  will,  any  one  of 
them,  brighten  up  the  waning  interest  of  a  score  or  two  of 
members. 


SECTION  E. 

FEES,    TICKETS,    RECOEDS,    AXD    EXCHANGE. 

1. — The  Fee. — The  membership  fee  should  be  large 
enough  to  indicate  a  positive  value,  while  not  so  large  as 
to  bar  out  any  number  of  self-supporting  young  men. 
Two  dollars  is  as  low  as  it  need  be  made,  while  five  dollars 
is  generally  the  fee  for  a  full  privilege  ticket  in  a  city 
Association.  The  extraordinary  privileges  afforded  by  a 
few  Associations  call  for  larger  fees,  but  the  fees  are  never 
expected  to  meet  the  expense  of  the  privileges  offered. 
For  the  best  interest  of  the  member  and  of  the  Association, 
payment  of  fee  should  be  in  advance. 

In  many  Associations  all  privileges  cease  as  soon  as  fees 
are  overdue  ;  in  others   from  ten  to  thirty  days  grace  are 

*  Some  Associations  require  the  registration  of  aU  non-members  entering  the 
reading  room.  Another  plan  is  for  non-members  who  frequent  the  reading  room 
to  become  what  may  be  termed  "  registered  readers,"  a  pass  being  given  them  stating 
that  they  have  the  privilege  of  the  reading  room  for  a  given  time— the  pass  being 
renewable  on  application.  This  plan  gives  a  better  control  of  the  rooms,  brings  the 
readers  into  contact  with  the  secretary,  and  makes  him  acquainted,  in  an  easy, 
routine  way,  with  the  name,  residence,  etc.,  of  each  one,  (See  appendix,  sample 
No.  7.) 


112  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  E,  2. 

allowed.  None  should  ever  be  reported  as  members  whose 
fees  are  not  paid  within  the  limit  fixed.  (See  Chap.  18, 
B,  4.) 

2. — The  Ticket J^ — The  membership  ticket  should  be  of 
durable  material,  tasteful  as  to  its  typography  and  color, 
and  full  and  explicit  in  its  wording.  Card-board  of 
different  colors  may  indicate  different  kinds  of  tickets. 
The  name  of  the  member,  amount  of  fee,  the  period  for 
which  the  fee  is  paid,  and  character  of  privileges  should 
appear  on  the  ticket ;  also  whetlier  the  holder  be  an  active 
or  an  associate  member.  (See  appendix,  sample  No.  8.) 
If  a  member  joins  on  or  before  March  fifteenth,  date  the 
ticket  March  first  ;  if  after  the  fifteenth,  date  it  April  first. 
The  holder's  personal  signature  would  be  a  good  addition, 
and  may  sometimes  j^revent  fraudulent  use  of  the  ticket. 
A  traveling,  or  transfer,  endorsement  ma}^  be  placed  upon 
the  back  of  the  ticket,  and  signed  by  some  designated 
officer  if  used.  (See  sect.  5.)  No  membership  ticket 
should  be  entitled  to  other  than  local  recognition  without 
some  such  endorsement. 

3. — Forfeiture. — It  should  be  understood  that  wilful  or 
continued  violation  of  Association  rules,  by  which  a  mem- 
ber becomes  liable  to  suspension  or  expulsion,  carries  with 
it  forfeiture  of  ticket. 

4. — Records. — Specimen  pages  of  a  register  having  many 
valuable,  labor-saving  features,  known  as  the  "  Hersey 
Index  and  Membership  Record,"  are  shown  in  sample  No. 
9,  in  the  appendix.  Another,  ruled  similarly,  less  expen- 
sive, and  answering  well  for  small  Associations,  is  published 
by  the  Era  Publishing  Co.,  Chicago. 

It  is  desirable  that  a  membersliip  register  be  ruled  in 
columns  headed  as  follows  :  date  of  joining,  name,  busi- 
ness address,  business,  position,  privileges,  active  or  asso- 
ciate, when  paid,  when  paid  to,  old  or  new,  age,  nationality, 
residence,  denomination,  church,  and  reference. 

These  headings  generally  explain    themselves.     "  Busi- 

*  See  also  "  The  commercial  traveler's  ticket,"  Int.  pph.  No.  560. 


Chap.  9,  E,  5.  membership.  113 

iiess "  shows  the  member's  occupation,  and  "  position " 
whether  he  is  an  employe  or  proprietor,  which  will  also  be 
helpful  in  planning  to  reach  others  in  the  same  position  in 
business.  "  Privileges  "  shows  whether  the  membership  is 
limited,  full,  or  boys',  etc.  Check  marks  may  indicate 
whether  it  is  active  or  associate,  old  or  new.  "  Age  "  and 
"  nationality  "  are  useful  in  gathering  up  statistics  and  in 
arranging  for  class  receptions  ;  also  in  planning  to  influence 
men  by  those  of  their  own  nationality.  Under  "church" 
an  associate  member's  preference  is  sometimes  indicated, 
followed  by  "  pref."  "  Reference  "  shows  who  proposed 
the  member.  Of  course  the  application  blank  should  agree 
with  the  headings  of  the  register. 

So  many  changes  occur  in  the  membership  roll  from 
non-payment  of  fees,  removals,  or  other  causes,  that  it  is 
desirable  to  have  the  register  re-written  often.  In  some 
Associations  this  is  done  annually,  but  according  to  the 
"  Hersey  "  system  names  are  transferred  as  often  as  fees 
are  paid,  thus  keeping  a  clean  list  of  bona  fide  members. 
In  the  "  Hersey "  record  all  names  are  also  entered  in  the 
order  of  admission,  so  that  a  glance  shows  when  fees  are 
due.  (See  Chap.  18,  B,  4.)  There  should  be  system  and 
promptness  in  enrolling  new  members,  and  in  posting  the 
payment  of  fees  from  the  cash  book. 

5. — Exchange  of  memberships. — At  the  Atlanta  Inter- 
national Convention,  May,  1885,  a  resolution  was  presented 
recommending  a  reciprocal  recognition  on  the  part  of  the 
Associations  of  all  unexpired  membership  tickets  held  by 
persons  removing  from  one  Association  town  to  another, 
and  requesting  the  International  Committee  to  place  the 
matter  before  the  Associations  for  action.  Most  of  the 
Associations  have  now  adopted  plans  looking  to  this  end. 

The  recognition  of  an  unexpired  ticket  will  be  beneficial 
in  several  ways  : 

a.  Persons  kept  from  joining  an  Association  because  un- 
certain how  long  they  are  to  remain  in  a  locality  need  not 
hesitate  if  their  tickets  are  to  be  recognized  in  other  cities. 


114  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  F,  1. 

h.  A  person  going  to  a  strange  place  and  holding  a 
paid-up  ticket,  for  several  months,  to  the  privileges 
of  a  first-class  Association  is  quite  certain  to  claim  his 
rights.  Thus  he  seeks  out  the  Association  and  makes 
liimself  known,  instead  of  leaving  the  Association  to  look 
up  and  get  hold  of  the  stranger, — a  task  so  difficult  as 
often  to  remain  undone. 

c.  It  largely  keeps  members  from  leaving  the  locality 
without  the  secretary's  knowledge  or  the  chance  for  a 
parting  word.  And  the  writing  of  the  certificate  of  trans- 
fer, which  should  be  a  necessary  requirement,  will  remind 
liim  to  write  to  his  brother  secretary  any  helpful  particu- 
lars relatinsc  to  the  transferred  member. 

d.  The  plan  tends  to  make  membership  more  perma- 
nent. Young  men  are  to  a  large  extent  a  floating  element 
of  the  population,  and  the  percentage  of  members  lost  by 
removal  is  very  large.  This  system  of  transfer  holds  many 
young  men  to  the  Association,  who,  without  it,  whatever 
their  good  intentions,  would  neglect  to  join  it  in  their 
new  home.  On  the  part  of  even  Christian  men  there  is 
sometimes  a  tendency  to  excuse  themselves  from  active 
duties  in  a  strange  community,  and  many  who  might  fail 
to  identify  themselves  with  the  Association,  and  even  with 
a  church,  are  saved  to  the  work,  and  perhaps  to  the  Cliris- 
tian  life,  by  the  transfer  ticket  and  the  note  of  introduction. 


SECTION  F. 

THE   DEVELOPMENT    OF    ACTIVE    MEMBERS. 

1. — Its  importance  and  necessity. — a.  An  experienced 
worker  may  think  it  easier  to  do  a  certain  work  himself 
than  to  secure  and  train  others  to  do  it.  But  the  saying 
of  Mr.  Moody,  that  * '  it  is  better  to  set  ten  men  at  work 
than  to  do  the  work  of  ten  men,"  has  become  axiomatic, 
and  the  life  and  vigor  of  nearly  every  enterprise  must 


Chap.  9,  F,  2.  membership.  115 

depend  on  a  constant  influx  of  fresh  young  blood  to  the 
ranks  of  the  workers.  This  is  especially  true  in  the  Asso- 
ciation, where  the  cares  and  responsibilities  of  business 
and  family  life  that  come  with  mature  years,  together 
with  the  natural  and  proper  absorption  by  the  individual 
churches  of  the  time  and  efforts  of  the  trained  workers, 
are  drafts  upon  its  resources  that  can  only  be  counterbal- 
anced by  a  continuous  and  systematic  development  of  new 
material. 

b.  If  we  consider  the  matter  of  growth  and  extension, 
opportunities  for  which  are  constantly  opening  on  every 
hand,  the  value  attaching  to  this  subject  is  still  more  ap- 
parent. The  development  of  its  active  members  is  in 
many  particulars  the  most  important  work  of  the  Associa- 
tion. Every  member  interested  and  trained  in  the  work 
is  so  much  added  strength.  An  intelligent  force  is  started 
that  will  continue  working — that  will  set  in  operation  still 
other  forces — that  will  extend  the  influence  of  the  Associa- 
tion indefinitely.  Bringing  a  young  man  to  Christ  is  a 
blessed  work.  Enabling  him  to  win  a  score  of  other 
young  men  to  the  Savior  is  still  more  blessed. 

2. — How  accomplished. — a.  Get  hold  of  them.  Look 
over  your  field  and  see  what  material  you  have.  Sit  down 
with  chairmen  of  committees  and  go  through  the  member- 
ship book.  Make  a  list  of  those  already  at  work.  Enlist 
them  in  the  search  for  others.  Call  for  volunteers  as  occa- 
sion may  offer  at  the  various  meetings.  Come  in  contact 
with  the  members  one  by  one.  Get  acquainted  with  them, 
and  let  them  get  acquainted  with  you.  Study  them,  seek 
information  from  others,  learn  to  know  your  men  thor- 
oughly. By  kindness  and  attention  gain  their  confidence, 
and  acquire  influence  over  them. 

h.  Inform  and  interest  them.  New  members  must 
be  educated.  Let  Association  publications,  judiciously 
selected,  especially  the  leading  periodicals,  be  placed  in 
their  hands.  Call  attention  personally  and  publicly  to 
special  articles,     Make  the  members'  meetings  helpful  in 


116  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  F,  2. 

this  direction.  Invite  to  committee  meetings,  especially 
to  a  joint  committee  meeting  or  conference  of  workers 
for  discussion  of  means  and  methods.  The  conventions 
are  grand  educators.  Make  the  most  of  them  through 
well-arranged  meetings  for  the  reports  of  delegates.  Con- 
tact with  the  work  at  large  broadens  the  view.  The 
members  need  to  know  the  Association  work  as  a  whole. 
Take  advantage  of  personal  conversation.  At  the  casual 
interview  aim  to  throw  out  some  item  of  information. 
Also  arrange  for  meeting  one,  two,  or  more  at  a  time. 
Advise  with  them.  Draw  out  suggestions  regarding  parts 
of  the  work  they  seem  to  favor.  Make  them  feel  that  the 
Association  is  theirs  as  Avell  as  yours.  Bring  in  as  special 
means  the  consecration  meeting,  a  pastor's  talk  on  Chris- 
tian activity  at  the  young  men's  meeting,  or  an  Association 
platform  service  in  a  church  at  which  the  character  and 
needs  of  the  work  are  presented.  The  best  of  all  aj)pliances 
to  the  proposed  end  is  a  well  conducted  training  class. 
No  Association  can  afford  to  be  without  one. 

c.  Set  them  at  work.  Take  your  men  one  at  a  time. 
Consider  both  adaptation  and  capacity.  There  is  great 
variety  of  work,  secular  and  religious,  and  of  all  grades. 
Give  a  man  that  which  fits  him,  and  begin  small.  You 
may  break  down  his  courage  by  making  his  first  load  too 
heavy.  Let  the  work  be  definite.  Give  each  worker  some 
regular  and  specific  duty.  Emphasize  responsibility. 
Whatever  the  duty  be,  teach  him  to  assume  and  fulfill  his 
trust  religiously.  Have  confidence  in  him,  and  let  him 
feel  that  you  trust  him.  Do  not  fear  mistakes.  They 
will  be  made,  but  they  will  be  helpful  lessons.  Too  high 
a  standard  at  the  beginning  may  bar  out  some  future 
Moody. 

d.  Instruct  and  encourage.  Follow  up  the  young 
workers  closely.  They  will  need  guidance.  See  where 
they  fail,  and  advise  and  correct.  Be  patient.  Do  not 
expect  too  much  at  first.  It  is  practice  that  makes  perfect. 
Encourage  by  showing  an  honest  interest.     Give  hearty 


Chap.  9,  G,  3.  membership.  117 

commendation  when  due,  but  never  flatter.  ^  Note  progress, 
and  promote  as  occasion  offers.  Place  new  responsibilities 
where  there  is  courage  and  ability  to  bear  them.  Do  not 
let  the  work  suffer  at  length  from  inefficiency.  Make 
needed  changes  promptly  and  judiciously. 


SECTION  G. 

THE    ASSOCIATE    MEMBEKSHIP    AND    ITS    RELATIONS. 

1. — The  associate  member  has  some  motive  in  joining. 
Find  it  out,  that  you  may  know  from  which  side  to  ap- 
proach him.  Very  likely  it  is  some  pri^dlege,  as  the  gym- 
nasium, the  library,  or  one  of  the  evening  classes.  He 
may  only  desire  a  place  of  resort.  Possibly  he  hopes  that 
he  may  be  led  into  the  Christian  life,  but  this  he  will  not 
be  apt  to  tell  you. 

2. — This  much  is  true,  young  men  unite  with  the  Asso- 
ciation understanding  more  or  less  of  its  real  character, 
and  voluntarily  place  themselves  under  Christian  influence. 
They  are  comparatively  a  hopeful  class  to  deal  with.  With 
regard  to  them  there  is  great  opportunity  and  responsi- 
bility on  the  part  of  the  active  membership.  Their  num- 
ber makes  the  work  difficult,  and  the  transient  member- 
ship of  a  large  proportion  renders  it  urgent.  Many  must 
be  reached  soon  or  the  opportunity  for  influence,  so  far  as 
the  Association  is  concerned,  will  be  gone.  (See  Chap.  23, 2. ) 
Every  nev/  member  should  be  introduced  to  some  member 
of   the  reception  committee. 

3. — Many  of  the  general  methods,  suggested  in  previous 
paragraphs,  to  interest  and  retain  members  apply  as  well 
to  associate  as  to  active  members.  Two  cautions  may  be 
given.  Do  not  over-amuse.  Too  much  time  is  often  frit- 
tered away  in  this  direction.  Do  not  over-evangelize. 
The  importance  and  opportunity  of  seeking  Christ  should 
be  constantly  kept  in  view  in  the  work,  but  not  so  as  to 


118  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  G,  4. 

invade  the  rights  of  any  member  or  to  attempt  the 
coercion  of  his  will. 

4. — The  associate  member  on  his  part,  entitled  to  a 
large  share  of  privileges,  in  most  instances  greatly  in  ex- 
cess of  the  financial  consideration,  sustains  moral  ob- 
ligations towards  the  Association  Avhich  he  should  realize. 
He  is  bound  to  live  an  outwardly  true  life,  to  maintain 
the  good  name  of  the  Association,  and  to  aid  it  by  his  in- 
fluence and  effort  in  all  desired  and  reasonable  ways. 

5. — While  a  consecrated  tact  may  find  ways  in  which  to 
wisely  use  the  power  and  influence  latent  in  the  associate 
membership,  it  is  the  decided  voice  of  the  Associations 
that  only  active  members  should  be  placed  on  the  com- 
mittees, or  be  made  responsible  for  any  department  of 
the  work.  The  International  Conference  of  General 
Secretaries,  held  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  June  11,  1885, 
after  a  long  and  earnest  discussion  upon  this  point,  passed 
the  following  resolution  unanimously  : 

"  Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  conference  it  is  undesir- 
able to  appoint  other  than  active  members  as  members  of  com- 
mittees in  our  Associations." 


SECTION  H. 


1. — As  the  young  men's  meeting  is  the  religious  center, 
the  members'  meeting  is  the  social  center  of  the  Associa- 
tion, a  nucleus  around  which  gather  and  from  which  should 
radiate  a  thousand  lines  of  active,  healthful  influence. 
Its  general  character  should  be  a  happy  combination  of 
business,     information,    instruction,    and    entertainment 

*  These  two  terms  are  in  use,  meaning  often  about  the  same  thing,  although 
these  gatherings  vary  greatly  in  character  in  different  Associations,  and  at  differ- 
ent times  in  the  same  Association.  Some  pocieties  however  have  them  both, 
separating  the  business  from  the  entertainment,  and  giving  a  distinct  character  to 
each.  The  suggestions  and  methods  outlined  can  readily  be  aiscriminated  and 
adapted  as  required. 


Chap.  9,  H,  6.  membership.  119 

with  a  genuine  social  intercourse,  the  occasion  being  made 
so  thoroughly  enjoyable  and  popular  that  the  members 
will  not  voluntarily  absent  themselves. 

2. — The  meeting  should  be  held  statedly  throughout 
the  year.  Its  regular  date  should  be  set  apart  and  held 
for  this  purpose,  that  the  members  may  learn  to  rely  upon 
its  recurrence.  Some  large  Associations  hold  this  meeting 
monthly,  but  many  others  find  a  quarterly  meeting  more 
useful.  Among  the  reasons  for  this, — four  quarterly  reports 
can  be  made  much  more  interesting  than  twelve  monthly 
ones,  and  the  additional  effort  needed  to  insure  successful 
meetings  every  month  is  burdensome  and  therefore  is 
apt  to  be  relaxed.  But  where  the  members  are  not 
elected  by  the  board  it  is  necessary  to  make  some  pro- 
vision for  elections  by  the  Association  oftener  than  once 
a   quarter. 

3. — So  important  a  matter  must  have  competent  super- 
vision. It  is  often  in  charge  of  the  social  work  committee, 
but  whoever  has  the  immediate  oversight  of  this  meeting 
should  be  a  person  of  many  resources,  active,  original,  and 
a  good  organizer^ 

4. — Much  attention  must  be  given  to  preparatory  work. 
It  is  well  to  make  a  general  outline  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year.  In  this  way  an  agreeable  variety  in  the  matter 
of  entertainment  is  systematically  provided  for,  the  prep- 
arations for  several  meetings  can  proceed  at  the  same  time, 
and  all  plans  are  kept  well  in  advance. 

5. — Announcements  can  be  made  through  the  papers,  on 
the  bulletin  board  at  the  rooms,  and  at  the  various  Asso- 
ciation meetings.  Where  practicable  a  printed  invitation 
may  be  prepared  and  sent  out.  Particular  care  should  be 
taken  to  invite  new  members  and  those  who  from  any 
cause  may  be  backward  or  need  encouragement. 

6. — The  meeting,  as  its  name  implies,  is  for  members. 
Exceptions  should  be  specific.  Young  men  intending  to 
join  or  likely  to  do  so,  new  residents,  strangers,  and 
relatives   or   friends  of  members   may  be  admitted,  but 


]  20  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  H,  7. 

only  on  invitation.  The  tendency  is  to  make  the  social 
gatherings  of  the  Associations  for  young  men  only. 

7. — The  ordinary  membership  will  be  present  if  the 
occasion  is  Avhat  it  should  be.  But  there  should  also  be  a 
disposition  to  attend  on  the  part  of  officers,  directors,  and 
the  older  and  more  prominent  men  in  social  and  business 
life.  The  presence  of  such  will  aid  in  giving  character  to 
the  gatherings,  will  encourage  the  workers,  and  be  a 
healthful  stimulus  to  the  younger  members,  many  of  whom 
may  be  their  employes.  A  courteous  social  intercourse 
will  be  a  privilege  as  well  as  a  duty.  Few  better 
opportunities  are  offered  for  the  exercise  of  personal 
influence. 

8. — Care  should  be  taken  in  the  preparation  of  the  room 
in  which  the  meeting  is  to  take  place.  See  that  it  is  neat, 
and  that  the  heating,  lighting,  and  ventilation  are  properly 
attended  to.  Dispose  the  seats  and  furniture  in  a  social 
way.  Avoid  straight  lines  as  much  as  possible.  If  the 
hall  or  assembly  room  be  used,  introduce  some  of  the  parlor 
furniture.  Get  rugs  for  the  floors.  Dress  the  windows 
attractively  for  the  occasion.*  Scatter  some  easy  chairs 
about.  Have  several  tables,  round  ones  are  best,  with 
the  latest  magazines,  a  few  new  books,  and  a  pile  of  en- 
gravings on  them.  Add  two  or  three  games,  a  microscope, 
stereoscoj^ic  views,  or  any  similar  attraction.  Try  to  have 
something  nev/  each  time. 

9. — Have  on  duty  a  large  and  active  reception  com- 
mittee, the  members  distinguished  by  a  tasteful  badge. 
Station  some  at  the  first  entrance,  to  welcome  all  and 
direct  to  the  coat  room  or  parlors  as  may  be  required. 
Others  should  be  placed  at  the  doors  of  the  assembly  room, 
and  still  others  should  be  on  duty  inside,  to  take  charge 
of  strangers  or  new  members,  and  entertain  them  or  in- 
troduce them  to  those  who  will  do  so,  that  all  embarrass- 
ment may  be  avoided.     Allow  no  one  to  pass  without  a 

*  Poles  for  window  and  door-way  draperies  can  be  in  place  permanently,  and 
curtains  can  be  put  up  in  a  few  moments.  These  cui-tains  can  be  borrowed  for  tho 
occasion  if  the  Association  cannot  afford  to  own  them. 


Chap.  9,  H,  10.  MEMBERSHIP.  121 

cordial  greeting.     Introduce  new  members  to  the  officers 
of  the  Association. 

10.  — The  programme,  complete  in  all  its  details,  should  be 
in  the  hands  of  the  chairman  for  the  evening  before  the 
opening  hour.     It  will  include  : 

a.  As  an  important  and  appropriate  part,  brief  but 
earnest  devotional  exercises. 

h.  Business.  There  should  be  new  members  to  elect  or 
to  report,  if  elected  by  the  board.  Brief  reports  should 
be  presented  by  the  board  and  committees  of  the  Asso- 
ciation. Announcements  of  interest  for  the  month  or 
quarter  to  come  may  be  made.  Any  miscellaneous  busi- 
ness should  be  disposed  of  promptly. 

c.  The  meeting  should  be  a  means  of^instruction.  Let 
some  one  make  a  five  minutes'  budget  of  interesting  news 
items  from  the  Association  periodicals  of  the  past  month. 
Another  five  minutes  may  be  given  to  short,  pithy  articles 
on  practical  topics,  or  to  a  paper  by  some  member.  In- 
teresting incidents  in  the  work  since  the  last  meeting, 
illustrative  of  Association  methods  or  affording  en- 
couragement to  the  workers,  may  be  given.  All  em- 
barrassing personality  must  of  course  be  avoided.  Make 
this  part  of  the  programme  the  most  attractive  of  the 
evening. 

d.  Whatever  you  have  in  the  line  of  entertainment 
should  be  good.  Not  necessarily  professional,  but  the 
best  that  can  be  had.  Do  not  pander  to  the  common 
taste — try  to  elevate.  Guard  against  having  too  much  in 
this  section  of  the  programme.  Give  variety.  If  possible, 
have  a  surprise  each  time.  The  general  sentiment  of  the 
Association  is  decidedly  against  allowing  any  character 
costumes  on  their  platforms.  Some  prohibit  it  by  con- 
stitutional provision. 

e.  Favorable  opportunity  for  social  converse  may  gen  - 
erally  be  had  previous  to  the  exercises  on  the  programme, 
but  at  that  time  all  have  not  arrived  and  the  social  spirit 
is  not  fully   developed.     Considerable  time    should  be  set 


132  MEMBERSHIP.  Chap.  9,  H,  10. 

apart  for  this  purpose  later  in  the  evening  and  used  to 
the  best  possible  advantage.  It  may  be  made  the  most 
profitable  as  well  as  agreeable  feature  of  the  occasion. 
Refreshments  are  a  great  aid  to  sociability,  and  should  be 
provided  at  these  gatherings  as  often  as  practicable.  As 
a  rule,  coffee  or  chocolate  and  sandwiches,  or  ice  cream 
and  cake,  are  amply  sufficient,  and  may  be  served  either 
by  a  committee  of  ladies  or  by  the  young  men  themselves. 
Try  to  reserve  some  taking  number  of  the  programme  till 
near  the  close,  that  the  evening  may  end  like  a  well 
rounded  period.  Let  several  of  the  officers  be  at  the  doors 
aS  the  young  men  pass  out,  bidding  them  good  night  with  a 
pleasant  grasp  of  the  hand,  a  courteous  bow,  or  kind  word. 
You  may  be  sure  they  will  want  to  come  again. 


OHAF^TEIl  10. 

THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.^ 


SECTION  A. 

THE    OFFICE    AND    WORK. 

1. — The  salaried  executive  officerf  of  a  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  is  called  a  general  secretary,  this 
title  having  been  recommended  by  vote  of  the  first  Secre- 
taries' Conference,  May,  1871.  (See  Chap.  3,  F,  3,  i.) 
Such  an  officer  became  necessary  in  the  larger  Associations 
as  their  broadening  work  required  more  thorough  super- 
vision than  was  possible  under  a  voluntary  plan  ;  and  the 
greater  efficiency  of  the  work  under  such  supervision  in- 
creased the  demand  so  rapidly  that  from  less  than  thirty 
paid  secretaries  and  other  officers  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada  in  1871,  the  number  in  1890  was  over  eleven  hun- 
dred. Many  Associations  in  towns  of  but  3,000  to  5,000 
population  now  employ  a  secretary  ;  and  the  organization 
of  Associations  in  places  of  the  latter  size  is  not  generally 
encouraged  unless  the  plans  include  such  an  officer.  \ 

2. — The  office  should  be  permanent.  No  one  lacking 
the  requisite  qualifications  should  be  allowed  to  enter  the 

*  Chapters  10-13  are  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  55. 

t  The  smaller  Associations,  which  cannot  support  a  paid  secretary,  may  wisely 
select  one  of  their  number  to  occupy,  as  far  as  possible,  the  position  of  such  an 
officer.  He  is  generally  known  as  the  executive  secretary,  and  a  statement  of  his 
work  is  given  in  Int.  pph.  No.  556 — "  Work  of  an  executive  secretary."  Chaps.  10-12 
on  the  work  of  a  general  secretary  also  contain  many  valuable  suggestions  to  such 
an  officer. 

+  See  "  Reasons  wby  an  Association  should  employ  a  general  secretary."  Int. 
pph.  No.  577. 


124  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.       Chap.  10,  A,  3. 

secretaryship,  nor  should  the  work  be  taken  up  as  a  make- 
shift, or  a  stepping-stone  to  something  else.  The  Asso- 
ciations cannot  afford  to  make  the  office  an  apprenticeship 
to  other  avocations.  There  may  be  mistaken  judgment  as 
to  fitness  on  the  j^art  of  candidates  or  their  advisers,  and 
if  on  trial  one  is  found  to  lack  the  proper  qualifications,  or 
develops  special  talent  for  some  other  calling,  he  should 
jjromptly  leave  the  secretaryship. 

3. — Frequent  changes  are  not  desirable,  and  both  Asso- 
ciations and  secretaries  should  strive  to  avoid  them.  They 
should  rarely,  if  ever,  be  made  without  consultation  with 
the  State  Secretary. 

4. — What  is  to  become  of  the  older  secretaries? 

a.  A  secretary  keeping  in  the  true  spirit  of  his  work 
will  continue  to  be  a  young  man  practically  till  well  ad- 
vanced in  life. 

h.  In  many  of  the  larger  Associations  it  will  be  found 
expedient  to  retain  as  chief  secretary  a  man  of  age  and 
experience,  while  the  subordinate  places  are  occupied  by 
younger  men. 

c.  Many  positions  in  connection  with  the  general  work 
will  demand  men  of  mature  experience,  just  such  as  will 
be  found  among  the  older  secretaries. 

d.  The  peculiar  and  varied  character  of  the  secretary's 
work  does  not  tend  to  unfit  him  for  business  life,  as  may 
be  the  case  in  some  professions.  On  the  contrary,  many 
qualifications  are  equally  essential  to  success  in  the  secre- 
taryship and  in  business. 

e.  *^  Does  the  Lord  call  me?"  and  not  '*  What  shall 
I  do  twenty  years  hence  ?"  is  the  question  to  be  considered 
by  a  young  man  contemplating  the  general  secretaryshij). 


Chap.  10,  B,  2.       THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  125 

SECTION  B. 

THE    QUALIFICATIONS. 

A  candidate  for  the  secretaryship  should  possess  a  cer- 
tain natural  fitness  for  the  position,  have  a  genuine  belief 
in  and  love  for  work  among  young  men,  and  a  willingness 
to  give  his  life  to  the  service.  The  special  qualifications 
may  be  divided  under  the  following  heads  : 

1. — Physical  qualificatio7is. — a.  Those  entering  the 
work  should  be  young.  The  work  is  for  and  by  young 
men  ;  the  secretary  as  the  leader  should  be  young  himself 
that  he  may  be  in  full  sympathy  with  those  he  seeks  to 
lead.  One  who  begins  young  has  the  advantage  of  a  longer 
service. 

h.  Good  health  is  important.  The  work  requires 
bodily  vigor,  and  lasting  service  will  be  impossible  with- 
out it. 

c.  Good  personal  presence  is  an  advantage.  Any 
serious  defect  or  peculiarity  of  body,  limb,  or  feature  will 
prove  an  embarrassment  and  more  or  less  a  hindrance.  An 
aptitude  for  athletic  and  manly  sports  will  largely  increase 
his  influence  with  young  men.  Where  a  physical  director 
cannot  be  employed,  it  is  very  desirable  that  the  secretary 
be  competent  to  lead  gymnastic  classes  and  superintend 
outdoor  sports,  and  train  committeemen  to  do  the  same. 

d,  A  good  voice,  v/ell  cultivated  for  both  singing  and 
speaking,  is  a  grand  reinforcement  to  any  secretary,  if 
used  modestly  and  in  his  legitimate  work. 

2. — Mental  and  social  qualifications. — a.  Education. — A 
candidate  for  the  general  secretaryship  should  have  secured 
at  least  a  good  common  school  education,  or,  still  better, 
have  taken  a  high  school  or  collegiate  course.  Without 
the  former  he  can  hardly  hope  to  succeed.  Having  this, 
however,  as  a  foundation,  the  proper  desire,  will,  and  in- 
dustry may  in  time  bring  him  the  knowledge  and  culture 
which  a  leader  of  young  men   in   this  day  should  possess. 


126  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.       Chap.  10,  B,  2. 

The  ability  to  read,  speak,  write,  and  spell  correctly,  with 
a  general  knowledge  of  standard  and  current  literature, 
is  necessary  to  hold  the  respect  of  the  average  J^oung  man. 
A  broader  education  will  place  one  on  a  vantage  ground 
with  the  entire  community  ;  giving  him  favor  with  the 
professional  and  educated  classes,  who  exercise  a  strong 
influence  over  the  young,  and  who  may  be  rendered  very 
useful  in  the  work.  Such  a  man  will  be  at  home  in  the 
lyceum  and  the  educational  class,  be  able  to  take  a  ready 
and  intelligent  part  in  any  conversation,  and  to  meet  with- 
out embarrassment  the  msmj  questions  that  will  naturally 
be  referred  to  him.  In  connection  with  the  library,  knowl- 
edge of  books  is  advantageous,  enabling  the  secretary  to 
counsel  young  men  wisely  regarding  their  use.  Occasions 
will  constantly  arise  where  the  ability  to  impart  informa- 
tion and  to  give  instruction  will  increase  the  secretary's 
hold  on  those  around  him.  In  fact  the  secretary  must  be 
a  student  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  if  he  will  keep  abreast 
of  the  times  and  the  02:>portunities  of  his  Avork. 

b.  Manners. — The  secretary  needs  good  manners  and 
address.  He  will  have  to  do  with  all  classes  of  society, — 
he  should  be  a  gentleman  and  at  home  everywhere.  An 
easy,  graceful  presence  is  not  always  a  natural  gift,  but 
may  be  cultivated.  The  secretary  generally  has  a  large 
range  of  choice  as  to  social  surroundings,  and  he  should 
select  the  best.  Associating  in  his  daily  work  almost  en- 
tirely with  men,  the  tendency  may  be  towards  carelessness 
in  dress  and  deportment.  If  single,  a  boarding  house 
where  careful  attention  to  polite  details  is  a  necessity  will 
be  an  excellent  corrective.  He  must  shun  affectation. 
One  had  better  be  blunt,  even  uncouth,  than  affected. 
He  must  be  modest ;  never  parade  his  accomplishments, 
never  look  down  on  men,  or  patronize.  The  highest  proof 
of  the  gentleman  is  the  ability  and  disposition  to  make 
every  one  at  home  in  his  presence.  The  secretary  should 
be  careful  of  his  personal  example  as  to  manners.  He 
will  be  more  or    less   an  involuntar}^,  perhaps  an  uncon- 


Chap.  10,  B,  2.       THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  127 

scions,  teacher.  The  Association  should  be  a  school  of 
good  manners  as  well  as  correct  morals.  The  two  are 
often  close  allies.  He  should  be  cordial  and  frank,  with 
a  true  Christian  heartiness  in  his  greeting.  While  friendly 
with  all,  and  confidential  in  his  business  relations  with 
the  officers,  he  should  avoid  all  appearance  of  favoritism. 
He  should  be  able  to  keep  his  own  counsel.  He  should 
never  indulge  in  harsh  criticism  of  others  nor  countenance 
such  conversation  in  his  presence.  He  should  never  allow 
himself  to  become  a  party  to  misunderstandings  and 
quarrels,  but  be  able  and  ready  to  act  as  a  peacemaker. 
The  secretary  must  avoid  egotism.  While  having  an 
opinion  and  maintaining  it  with  proper  firmness,  he  must 
listen  to  the  opinions  and  advice  of  others  with  due  defer- 
ence. He  should  have  a  disposition  to  learn,  not  assuming 
to  know  everything  He  should  cultivate  the  spirit  of 
helpfulness,  being  on  the  alert  for  opportunities  to  aid 
those  around  him.  He  must  crucify  selfishness,  and  learn 
by  a  daily  experience  that  the  true  life  is  found  in  living 
for  others. 

c.  Business. — The  secretary  must  be  a  good  business 
man.  He  will  have  more  or  less  to  do  with  the  business 
affairs  of  the  Association,  and  will  come  into  close  relations 
with  the  business  men  of  the  community.  He  should  be 
systematic,  accurate,  prompt,  and  conscientious,  both  in 
his  own  affairs  and  those  of  the  Association  ;  and  these 
principles  should  extend  even  to  the  minutest  details. 
Correct  financial  methods  will  secure  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  the  business  community,  which  are  essential. 
Too  great  emphasis  cannot  be  given  to  the  importance  of 
these  qualifications  in  the  general  secretary,  and  more  or 
less  of  business  training  is  very  desirable  as  a  preparation 
for  the  office. 

d.  Housekeeping. — The  secretary  must  be  a  good 
housekeeper.  In  the  smaller  Associations  he  will  have  to 
do  practically  with  this  matter,  and  he  should  be  able  in 
all  cases  to  give  it  efficient  supervision.     The  neatness  and 


128  THE   GENERAL  SECRETARY.       Chap.  10,  B,  2. 

attractiveness  of  the  Association  rooms  will  indicate,  as 
well  as  govern,  to  a  large  extent,  the  character  of  the 
membership.  The  condition  of  the  rooms  will  be  the  first 
thing  noticed  by  a  stranger,  and  first  impressions  are  im- 
portant. When  stoves  are  used  the  janitor  should  be 
taught  to  keep  everything  tidy  about  them,  using  special 
care  in  handling  the  coal  and  ashes.  During  sweeping 
Avindows  should  be  open,  furniture  and  book-shelves 
covered  with  cloths,  out-of-the-way  places  should  not  be 
neglected,  and  furniture  should  be  moved  when  the  broom 
cannot  reach  underneath.  If  lamps  are  used  they  must  be 
well  trimmed,  the  fixtures  clean,  and  the  chimneys  bright. 
Dim  and  smoky  lights  will  soon  empty  the  rooms.  There 
should  be  good  ventilation,  for  pure  air  is  a  prime  necessity. 
The  temperature  of  the  rooms  must  be  kept  as  even  as 
possible — say  about  68^ — a  thermometer  and  not  the  sec- 
retary's feelings  being  the  governing  standard.  In  the 
summer  a  proper  adjustment  of  windows  and  blinds  will 
often  bring  a  delicious  coolness  to  an  otherwise  sultry 
apartment.  People  should  not  be  invited  into  damp  or 
chilly  rooms,  or  to  sit  in  a  dangerous  draught.  It  is  per- 
liaps  well  that  carelessness  here  will  often  make  the  secre- 
tary himself  the  first  and  most  constant  victim. 

The  matter  of  arrangement,  in  which  comparatively 
few  housekeepers  are  adepts,  is  indeed  a  fine  art  ;  and 
the  subtle  tact  so  to  dispose  even  plain  and  scanty 
furniture  as  to  make  a  room  cosy  and  inviting  is  not 
often  a  masculine  gift.  The  ladies  must  be  called  in  as 
instructors,  and  after  a  series  of  object  lessons  the  secretary 
should  at  least  be  able  to  imitate. 

Work  should  be  done  promptly.  Each  morning  should 
see  everything  in  order.  Rooms  used  the  previous  even- 
ing should  be  "put  to  rights,"  every  lamp  and  stove  being 
ready  for  the  match.  The  janitor  work  kej^t  thus  in 
hand,  the  secretary  is  prepared  for  emergencies  and  is 
not  embarrassed  if  an  unexpected  visitor  asks  to  see  the 
premises. 


Chap.  10,  B,  2.       THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  129 

e.  Leadership)  is  an  essential  quality.  Many  a  man 
will  run  well  when  "  wound  up,"  but  the  secretary  must 
be  a  man  of  original  thought  and  action,  having  the  ability 
both  to  plan  and  to  do.     A  genuine  leader  must  have  : 

Judgment  or  sound  common  sense,  the  power  of 
accurate  discrimination  and  a  degree  of  caution, — that 
quality  which  keeps  one  on  the  track  and  makes  him  a  safe 
man  to  follow. 

Self-reliance.  A  man  must  believe  in  himself  if  he  is 
to  inspire  confidence  in  others. 

Executive  ability.  He  must  have  not  only  power  of 
thought  but  of  execution.  Power  to  carry  out  plans.  The 
ability  to  get  and  keep  others  at  work.  That  force  neces- 
sary to  direct  successfully  many  and  diverse  operations.* 

Tact.  That  which  turns  everything  to  the  best 
account.  That  which  will  enable  a  secretary  to  select  and 
adapt  to  his  own  field  anything  of  value  from  the  work  or 
expericHce  of  others.  That  power  of  unpremeditated 
diplomacy  by  which  an  unexpected  or  even  untoward  event 
is  turned  to  good  results. 

Originality.  From  his  quiet  hours  of  study  the  sec- 
retary should  be  able  to  bring  out  new  lines  and  fresh 
methods  of  work  for  his  own  field.  He  should  be  a  plan- 
ner, full  of  expedients.  His  thoughts  should  be  broad 
and  progressive,  but  he  must  be  practical — not  a  mere 
dreamer. 

Enthusiasm.  A  genuine  enthusiasm  is  both  inspira- 
tion and  strength.  It  is  a  cheer  in  the  race,  a  song  on  the 
march,  the  battle  cry  in  a  charge.  Enthusiasm  is  con- 
tagious— the  leader  will  impart  it  to  others. 

Perseverance.  That  which  holds  a  man  steadily  to 
the  work,  even  through  difficulties  and  discouragement. 
To  be  fickle  is  to  be  weak,  but  a  strong  tenacity  of  purpose 
will  inspire  courage. 

f.  The  special  qualification  required  in  this  work,  as 
distinguished  from  other  forms  of  Christian  activity,  is  an 

*  See  "The  Organizer,"  "  Watchman,"  1888,  p.  357, 


130  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.       Chap.  10,  B,  3. 

intense  love  for  young  men,  and  a  readiness  to  devote  one's 
life  to  their  welfare,  along  all  the  lines  of  Association 
effort. 

3. — Spiritual  qualifications. — a,  A  secretary  must  be  of 
irreproachable  Christian  character. 

h.  He  must  be  spiritually  minded,  as  against  the  world- 
liness  of  the  many,  perhaps  even  of  Christian  men,  around 
him.  He  must  know  the  truth  by  an  experience  of  his 
own  and  live  in  daily  communion  with  God,  if  he  would 
direct  others  to  the  way  of  righteousness  and  lead  them 
in  it. 

c.  He  must  have  a  cheerful  piety,  and  of  the  every- 
day-alike sort.  Cant  and  sentimentalism  are  both  to  be 
avoided. 

d.  He  should  love  Bible  study  and  be  apt  to  teach. 

e.  He  must  be  intelligent  and  correct  as  to  the  car- 
dinal doctrines  of  the  evangelical  churches  and  his  belief 
in  them. 

f.  He  should  be  catholic  in  spirit.  Recognizing  the 
oneness  of  all  believers  in  Christ,  he  should  be  above  sec- 
tarian prejudices. 

g.  Finally  the  secretary  must  jjut  on  "the  whole  armor 
of  God,"  that  he  may  be  able  to  "stand";  he  must  seek 
the  endowment  from  the  Spirit  of  "power  for  service"; 
and  ever  remember  the  words  of  the  Master  :  "  He  that 
abideth  in  me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit ;  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing." 


CHAPITER  11. 

THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY— HIS  RELATIONSHIPS. 


SECTION  A. 

TO    CHURCHES    AND    PASTORS. 

1. — Every  secretary  should  be  a  member  of  an  evangeli- 
cal church  in  the  town  where  he  lives.  His  example 
should  impress  young  men  with  the  fact  that  he  places  a 
high  estimate  on  church  membership.  He  should  make  it 
a  rule  to  be  present  on  Sunday  morning  at  his  own  church, 
and,  as  often  as  possible,  attend  and  be  ready  to  take  act- 
ive part  in  the  weekly  services.  It  wall  not  be  expedient 
for  him  to  hold  an  official  position  in  the  church,  or  to  be- 
come regularly  connected  with  the  Sunday-school  or  choir. 
His  work  as  secretary  will  demand  most  of  his  time  and 
effort.  The  secretary  should  sustain  a  cordial  relation  to 
his  pastor,  looking  to  him  for  j^ersonal  counsel  and  advice, 
and  soliciting  and  expecting  at  his  hands  that  kindly  criti- 
cism often  so  necessary  and  helpful. 

2. — The  secretary  should  appreciate  his  membership  in 
the  church  catholic,  and  keep  himself  in  full  sympathy 
with  every  evangelical  denomination.  He  should  attend, 
as  he  may  be  able,  the  public  and  social  religious  services 
of  the  different  churches,  taking  such  part  in  the  latter  as 
may  be  desirable.  On  such  occasions  he  should  be  careful 
not  to  intrude  the  Association,  yet  he  may  often  allude  to 
some  incident  in  the  work,  throw  in  some  word  to  young 
men,   or  bespeak   the  prayers   and    co- operation  of  those 


132  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.      Chap.  11,  A,  3. 

present,  with  modest  tact,  to  the  edification  of  the  meeting 
and  the  interest  of  the  Association. 

3. — Their  identity  of  labors  and  interests  should  make 
the  secretary  and  the  pastors  sympathetic  friends,  and  one 
of  the  first  things  to  be  done  by  a  newly  settled  secretary 
is  to  form  their  acquaintance.  He  should  consult  with 
them  in  regard  to  the  young  men  of  their  congregations 
and  their  relationship  to  the  Association,  and  specially  with 
respect  to  strangers,  or  young  men  interested  spiritually, 
who  purpose  attending  or  joining  their  churches. 

4. — The  secretary  should  endeavor  to  secure  the  hearty 
co-operation  of  the  pastors  in  the  work  of  the  Association. 
Any  possible  misunderstanding  regarding  the  work  should 
be  corrected  by  a  judicious  j^resentation  of  facts.  Any 
mistakes,  such  as  conflict  with  church  work,  or  departure 
from  legitimate  methods,  should  be  promptly  rectified. 
The  pastors,  as  recognized  leaders  in  the  Christian  work  of 
the  community,  should  be  consulted  in  regard  to  plans 
and  methods  to  be  employed,  and  it  may  be  well  for  the 
secretary  to  secure  a  meeting  occasionally  for  this  purpose. 
Where  a  stated  ministers'  meeting  is  held,  the  secretary 
may  be  invited  to  use  this  as  a  means  of  communication. 
The  secretary  must  not  expect  too  much  active  work  of 
the  pastors,  especially  on  Sundays,  as  they  are  busy  men. 
Reasonable  calls  will  generally  be  responded  to,  and  the 
secretary  should  be  willing  to  reciprocate  according  to  his 
time  and  ability. 

5. — The  secretary  should  see  that  the  pastors  are  kept 
fully  informed  with  respect  to  both  the  local  and  the 
general  work,  being  particular  to  send  them  the  bulletin, 
all  reports  of  the  local  Association,  and,  as  far  as  may  be, 
those  of  the  state  and  international  work.  He  should  see 
that  they  are  supplied  with  "  The  Young  Men's  Era,"  and 
should  try  to  secure  the  attendance  of  pastors  at  conventions. 

6. — The  secretary  should  endeavor  to  prevent  any  aliena- 
tion of  pastors  by  reason  of  the  Association  becoming  de- 
nominationalized.     He  should  see  that  the  several  churches 


Chap.  11,  B,  2.       THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  133 

have  an  equitable  representation  on  the  board  of  directors 
and  the  various  committees. 

7. — The  secretary  shoukl  give  the  Church,  with  its 
divinely  constituted  ministry,  its  rightful  first  place,  re- 
garding the  Association  as  an  auxiliary  of  the  Church. 
He  should  urge  upon  every  Association  worker  the  duty 
of  activity  in  his  church,  and  discountenance  every  ten- 
dency to  a  neglect  of  church  obligations  through  absorp- 
tion in  the  work  of  the  Association. 

8. — The  secretary's  attitude  toward  the  various  religious 
and  reform  organizations  in  his  field,  in  so  far  as  they  are 
recognized  by  the  churches,  should  be  that  of  a  sympa- 
thizer, ready  to  assist  them  as  his  judgment  and  obligations 
may  direct  and  allow. 


SECTION  B. 

TO    OFFICERS,    DIRECTORS,  AND    COMMITTEES.* 

1. — The  secretary's  relations  to  the  president  should  be 
cordial  and  confidential.  The  secretary  should  keep  the 
president  fully  informed  of  all  important  occurrences, 
and  advise  with  him  as  to  all  proposed  undertakings.  As 
the  president  is  usually  a  busy  man,  whose  time  is  valu- 
able and  not  always  at  command,  somfe  particular  hour 
may  be  fixed  for  a  weekly  conference,  the  secretary  mak- 
ing daily  memoranda  of  all  matters  to  be  discussed,  that 
nothing  important  be  forgotten  and  no  time  be  wasted. 

2. — To  the  board  of  directors  the  secretary  is  qualified 
by  his  experience  and  close  contact  with  all  the  work  to 
be  an  encyclopedia  of  information.  He  should  be  pre- 
pared to  answer  all  questions  at  the  meetings  of  the  board, 
and  to  give  a  careful  opinion  on  any  matter  referred  to 
him.  He  should  remember  that  he  is  an  agent  or  employe 
of   the  board,  and  that   its  members  are  entitled  to  the 


*See"'  The  duty  of  the  board  of -directors  to  the  general  secretary,"  Int.  pph. 
No.  578. 


134  THE   GENERAL  SECRETARY.       Chap.  11,  B,  3. 

fullest  information  that  they  may  desire  about  every  de- 
tail of  the  work,  and  this  he  should  give  without  the  least 
liesitation.  He  must  not  be  opinionated,  but  be  willing  to 
defer  to  the  judgment  of  others  and  submit  gracefully  to 
the  majority,  He  should  never  whine  nor  complain. 
Only  a  frank  and  manly  bearing  will  favorably  impress 
the  men  usually  managing  an  Association. 

The  secretary  should  make  a  written  report  at  each 
stated  meeting  of  the  board.  This  will  enable  him  to 
bring  before  the  members  many  details  of  the  work  with 
which  they  might  not  otherwise  become  familiar,  and 
which  will  tend  to  increase  their  interest  and  activity. 
It  will  also  afford  him  the  opportunity  to  suggest  needed 
changes  and  improvements,  and  at  a  time  when  there  can 
be  immediate  discussion  and  definite  action.  Conference 
should  be  had  in  advance  with  the  president  and  leading 
members  of  the  board  regarding  all  new  matters. 

The  secretary  can  do  some  of  his  best  work  in  training 
the  directors  and  members  in  familiar  acquaintance  with 
Association  work  at  large,  by  recommending  to  them 
good  reading  on  the  subject,  and  by  inducing  them  to 
visit  other  Associations,  attend  conventions,  etc. 

3. — The  secretary  must  sustain  an  intimate  relation  to 
the  committees,  and  aid  their  chairmen  in  j^lanning  and 
organizing  the  Avork.  He  should  see  that  committee 
meetings  are  held  regularly,  be  present  at  them,  and  ar- 
range for  stated  meetings  of  the  chairmen  for  prayer 
and  discussion  concerning  the  more  general  and  reciprocal 
features  of  their  work.  The  supervision  of  this  important 
department  will  require  constant  and  patient  effort.  The 
lazy  and  the  indifferent  must  be  spurred  to  action,  the  in- 
efficient be  superseded,  and  vacancies  be  filled.  New 
accessions  should  constantly  be  made  to  the  Avorking 
force,  and  happy  will  the  Association  be  that  realizes  in 
the  aggregating  results  '*  the  survival  of  the  fittest." 

4. — The  secretary  should  not  take  a  prominent  part  in 
the  financial  management  of  the  Association,  but  sustain 


Chap.  11,  B,  5.       THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  135 

the  same  relation  to  it  as  to  other  departments,  meeting 
with  the  finance  committee  and  studying  to  promote  its 
efficiency.  He  should  be  familiar  with  all  the  business 
details,  knowing  who  contributes  and  who  does  not,  and 
just  how  the  money  is  spent.  He  should,  from  the  outset, 
cultivate  financial  capacity  m  the  members,  not  in  the 
finance  committee  only.  If  he  succeeds  here,  he  is  likely 
to  succeed  in  other  lines  of  work.  If  he  leaves  a  place,  he 
should  leave  it  in  better  condition  than  that  in  which  he 
found  it.  Where  the  money  is  pledged  for  a  year,  men 
sometimes  spend  it,  and  then  look  out  for  a  new  field 
where  somebody  has  provided  funds  for  a  year,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  are  ready  for  another  change.  They 
keep  changing,  not  on  account  of  lack  of  piety  but  of 
business  capacity. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  will  often  be  necessary  for  a 
secretary  to  guard  against  the  encroachment  of  financial 
matters  upon  his  thought  and  time  to  the  detriment  of 
other  interests,  especially  those  of  a  religious  character. 

5. —  '"'•  SecretarialismP — A  general  secretary,  from  his 
knowledge  and  experience,  is  apt  to  undertake  the  details 
of  the  work,  and  to  make  himself  to  an  unhealthy  extent 
the  important  factor  in  the  Association.  He  is  tempted 
to  lead  meetings  because  he  can  conduct  them  better  than 
the  younger  members,  and  sometimes  attempts  to  do  all 
the  religious  work.  He  becomes  responsible  for  the 
finances  of  the  Association  ;  in  which  case,  even  if  he  suc- 
ceeds in  raising  the  money  for  a  few  years,  he  utterly 
fails  to  develop  a  competent  finance  committee.  In  this 
way  some  Associations  have  been  '*  secretarialized  "  into  a 
state  of  absolute  inefficiency,  while  the  secretary  himself, 
overburdened  with  work,  has  broken  down  under  its  pres- 
sure.*    Buo  on   the   contrary,  the  secretary   should  be  a 

*  The  following  extract  from  a  letter  written  in  1856  by  W.  Edwyn  Shipton, 
secretary  of  the  London  Association,  to  an  American  correspondent,  is  a  striking 
illustration  of  what  would  now  be  called  "secretarialism."  "  Here  we  have  not,  as 
with  you,  committees  for  discharging  all  special  duties  in  connection  with  tlie 
work;  our  committees  are  simply  consultative.  The  secretaries  of  the  society  con- 
duct its  meetings,  arrange  its  public  lectures,  keep  minutes  and  accounts,   beg 


136  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.       Chap.  11,  C,  1. 

training  officer  in  all  departments.  He  should  not  rob 
committees  of  personal  responsibility  by  writing  their 
reports,  by  sending  out  the  notices  of  their  meetings,  or 
by  caring  for  any  other  details  belonging  to  them.  He 
should  train  young  men  to  be  winners  of  souls.  In  a 
word,  he  should  so  develop  the  working  force  that  if  he 
be  suddenly  removed  the  work  will  go  on  systematically 
and  effectively.  He  should  studiously  avoid  making  him- 
self prominent,  in  the  community,  in  the  press,  or  at  con- 
ventions. He  should  ever  put  others  forward  and  be 
known  only  through  the  efficiency  of  the  Association. 
He  should  use  his  influence  to  secure  the  presence  of 
members  of  the  board  and  of  the  working  force  at  State 
and  International  Conventions,  and  induce  them  to  serve 
on  committees  of  those  bodies  in  preference  to  himself. 
They  and  not  he  should  represent  the  Association.  As 
the  number  of  secretaries  increases,  the  importance  of  the 
secretary  taking  and  keeping  a  subordinate  place  demands 
studied  attention.  If  he  is  so  constituted  that  he  cannot 
do  this,  he  is  practically  unfit  for  his  office. 


SECTION  C. 

TO     OTHER     EMPLOYES. 

1. — The  large  Associations  employ,  in  addition  to  a 
general  secretary,  one  or  more  assistant  secretaries, 
librarians,  physical  directors,  clerks,  janitors,  etc.,  be- 
sides seoi-etaries  in  charge  of  branches.*  The  relations 
existing  between  these  will  vary,  and  must  be  governed 
largely  by  the  local  conditions. 

2. — In  the  majority  of  cases,  however,  there  will  be  but 

and  disburse  its  funds,  conduct  aU  of  its  correspondence,  receive  young  men 
for  private  religious  intercourse,  conduct  classes  and  deliver  lectures  to  our  own 
or  branch  Associations  ;  and  daily  at  the  office  superintend  the  reading-rooms, 
receive  visitors  to  the  Association  and  supply  information  as  to  its  proceedings, 
meet  the  representatives  of  branch  or  kindred  Associations,  and,  as  far  as  oppor- 
tunity permits,  use  hospitality  towards  them." 

*  In  1891,  the  paid  agents  of  the  Association  in  New  York  City,  excluding  janitors, 
were  42 ;  in  Philadelphia,  26  ;  in  Chicago,  23. 


Chap.  11,  C,  3.       THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  137 

one  or  two  employes  besides  the  secretary,  and  these  are 
too  often  selected  without  much,  care  and  receive  small 
pay,  to  do  janitor  work,  run  on  errands,  and  attend  to 
such  promiscuous  matters  as  time  and  capacity  permit. 
An  assistant  should  be,  rather,  a  young  man  possessing 
litness  for  the  secretaryship,  to  w^hom  such  an  apprentice- 
ship will  be  helpful.  Whether,  however,  an  assistant's 
time  is  to  be  employed  with  minor  details,  or  he  be  able 
to  share  in  the  supervision  of  the  work,  the  secretary 
should  be  to  him  a  teacher  and  a  friend,  and  cordial  rela- 
tions should  exist  between  them.  The  secretary  should 
seek  to  develop  his  assistants  from  the  working  force  of 
his  own  Association. 

3. — The  secretary  should  see  that  his  assistant  receives 
a  suitable  salary.  He  should  aid  him  in  finding  a  proper 
boarding  place,  and  introduce  him  to  such  society  as  will 
be  pleasant  as  well  as  helpful.  If  the  secretary  has  a 
home  of  his  own,  the  assistant  should  be  made  welcome 
there.  The  secretary  should  feel  a  responsibility  in  re- 
gard to  the  personal  habits  of  his  assistant,  and  know  wdio 
are  his  companions  and  where  he  sj^ends  his  leisure  hours. 
He  must  look  after  his  spiritual  life,  aid  him  in  his  study 
of  the  Bible,  and  see  that  his  church  connection  is  help- 
ful. The  assistant  should  be  given  time  for  needed  physi- 
cal development  and  metal  improvement,  and  be  taught 
system  in  using  it.  The  secretary  should  provide  for  his 
taking  a  suitable  course  of  reading,  should  place  respon- 
sibility upon  him  as  he  may  be  fitted  to  sustain  it,  and 
allow  him  to  gain  a  practical  experience  in  different  parts 
of  the  work.  An  assistant  should  be  allowed  to  attend 
various  commitee  meetings,  and  occasionally  a  meeting  of 
the  board  and  a  convention,  as  such  attendance  will  fit 
him  for  greater  usefulness  in  his  daily  work.  The  secre- 
tary must  instruct  and  advise  his  assistant,  realizing  that 
valuable  material  is  placed  in  his  hands  to  be  developed 
and  fitted  for  a  high  sphere  of  action,  and  that  no  light 
responsibility  rests  upon  him. 


138  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.       Chap.  11,  D,  1. 

The  secretary  should  exercise  a  careful  supervision  over 
all  the  employes,  be  full  and  definite  in  conveying  to  them 
the  instructions  of  the  board,  and  wlien  mistakes  are  made 
sliould  correct  them  privately  and  in  a  kindly  raanncr. 


SECTION  D. 

TO    THE     MEMBERS. 

1. — As  far  as  possible  the  secretary  should  be  a  friend 
to  the  members,  upon  whom  they  can  call  at  any  time,  sure 
of  a  warm  Avelcome.  No  office  business  should  so  absorb  his 
attention  that  he  cannot  have  a  cordial  greeting  and  a  few 
kindly  words  of  conversation  with  any  one  who  may  happen 
in.  Especially  should  a  call  for  counsel  or  advice  in  regard 
to  either  secular  or  spiritual  matters  take  precedence  of  all 
else.  Nothing  wall  better  gauge  a  secretary's  influence 
among  the  young  men  of  the  community,  or  should  cause 
him  more  gratification,  than  the  disposition  to  approach 
him  with  such  personal  confidences.  The  placard  "This 
is  my  busy  day  "  ought  never  to  be  posted  in  the  office  of  a 
general  secretary. 

2. — The  secretary  should  be  careful  to  credit  the 
workers  with  the  full  importance  of  their  service,  in  a 
tone  not  of  flattery  but  of  commendation  and  encourage- 
ment, and  impress  them  with  the  fact  that  their  work  is 
not  for  men,  but  for  their  Lord. 

3. — With  the  associate  members  the  secretary  must  use 
discretion;  not  thinking  it  necessary  to  introduce  religious 
topics  at  first,  nor  at  every  interview,  but  allowing  a 
young  man  to  lead  conversation  into  his  favorite  field. 
Becoming  familiar  he  can  select  opportune  times  for 
earnest  words.  A  member  should  feel  that  the  secretary 
is  interested  in  him  genei-alh^,  and  not  alone  in  his  religious 
condition  ;  yet  he  should  never  have  reason  to  doubt  his 
intense  desire  for  his  soul's  welfare.      The  associate  mem- 


Chap.  11,  F,  1.       THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  1$9 

bership  is  the  harvest  field  of  an  Association.  Great 
responsibility  rests  upon  the  secretary  as  a  leader,  and  as 
one  after  whom  the  workers  will  largely  pattern.  To  over- 
evangelize  will  drive  many  away,  while  others  may  be 
lost  forever  by  neglec 


SECTION  E. 

TO    THE    RELIGIOUS    WORK. 

1. — The  secretary,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  gives 
direction  to  much  that  is  undertaken  in  the  Association. 
He  should  see  that  the  work  of  the  secular  departments  is 
so  carried  on  as  to  contribute  to  the  attendance  at  the 
religious  meetings  and  to  reach  young  men  individually. 

2. — He  must  never  become  so  engrossed  in  the  details  of 
his  work  as  to  neglect  seeking  out  young  men  and  speak- 
ing to  them  personally  about  their  souls'  interests.  This 
work  will  tend  to  keep  him  in  communion  with  God,  and 
quicken  his  own  spiritual  life.  His  earnestness  in  personal 
work  will  influence  others  to  undc  rtake  it,  and  by  the  aid 
of  the  training  class  and  other  practical  means  they  can  be 
fitted  for  co-laborers  in  the  work  of  winning  souls.  While 
the  secretary  should  be  in  hearty  sympathy  and,  as  far  as 
may  be,  in  active  co-operation  with  every  department,  he 
should  give  his  best  thought  and  most  constant  care  to  the 
religious  work. 


SECTION  F. 

TO    THE    BUSINESS    COMMUNITY. 

1. — The  secretary  should  be  familiar  with  the  business 
life  of  the  community,  manifesting  an  intelligent  interest 
in  the  various  local  enterprises.  If  he  understand  not  only 
the  general  principles,  but  some  of  the  details,  of  business 
life  he  can  more  readily  approach  and  influence  business 


140  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.       Chap.  11,  P,  2. 

men.  Manj^  such  men  ma}^  come  to  him  for  advice  and 
sympathy.  If  he  show  a  knowledge  of  their  daily  duties 
and  trials  he  can  often  gain  their  confidence  at  once,  and 
the  word  fitly  spoken  may  win  them  to  the  Savior. 

2. — The  secretary  must  not  be  a  politician.  It  is  his 
duty  to  exercise  the  rights  of  citizenship  ;  but  he  must 
recognize  the  fact  that  political  prejudices  are  strong,  and 
that  in  order  to  maintain  close,  friendly  relations  with  men 
of  all  parties  he  must  be  conservative  and  discreet. 

3. — A  secretary  should  undertake  no  business  to  increase 
his  income,  as  all  his  time  belongs  to  the  Association  and 
he  has  no  right  to  employ  it  in  private  business  enterprises. 
Acting  as  the  agent  of  a  publishing  house  or  insurance 
company,  singing  in  a  church  choir  for  pay,  or  any  similar 
occupation  should  be  avoided,  if  he  would  retain  his  own 
self-respect  and  his  influence  among  young  men. 


SECTION  G. 

TO      THE      PRESS. 

A  secretary  should  appreciate  the  value  of  the  press. 
There  should  be  a  wise  use  of  printed  matter  in  the  way 
of  circulars,  cards,  newspaper  advertising,  etc.  But  in 
addition  to  this,  and  much  more  effective,  will  be  the  use 
of  the  editorial  and  local  columns  of  the  newspapers.  The 
secretary  should  gain  the  friendship  of  editors  and  re- 
porters, and  interest  them  in  the  work.  He  should  see 
that  they  are  invited  to  anniversaries,  entertainments,  and 
special  services;  provided  with  passes,  or  with  tables,  when 
such  accommodations  are  needed;  and  treated  with  due 
courtesy  on  such  occasions.  No  one  should  be  neglected, 
for  the  penny-a-liner  of  some  obscure  sheet  may  soon  be- 
come the  "  local "  of  a  city  daily.  If  reporters  are  not 
present  on  such  an  occasion  an  account  of  it  may  be  sent 
them,   carefully   written    and  not  too  long.     Association 


Chap.  11,  H,  2.       THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  141 

items  of  proper  brevity  will  generally  be  acceptable  to  the 
city  editor,  as  will  reports  from  a  convention,  if  furnished 
promptly,  the  secretary  always  writing  as  a  reporter,  not 
officially.  N'eios  will  be  printed,  while  stale  matter  will 
be  often  thrown  into  the  waste  basket.  It  annoys  a 
printer,  from  a  mechanical  standpoint,  to  have  matter  come 
in  unnecessarily  late.  Items  of  interest  regarding  the  gen- 
eral work,  its  progress,  methods,  new  organizations,  build- 
ing enterprises,  or  secretarial  changes  in  the  vicinity,  may 
frequently  be  published.  The  work  is  thus  brought  before 
the  public  through  the  most  popular  and  far  reaching 
means  at  command. 


SECTION  H. 

TO    HIS    FELLOW    SECRETARIES. 

1. — Strong  fraternal  bonds  should  exist  between  a  sec- 
retary and  his  fellows  in  other  fields.  No  word  of  dispar- 
agement or  unkind  criticism  should  be  spoken,  and  any 
seeming  mistakes  should  be  the  subject  of  only  personal 
and  kindly  inquiry  or  suggestion.  Occasional  conferences 
of  the  secretaries  of  contiguous  Associations  are  beneficial. 
A  monthly  or  quarterly  circular  letter,  stating  how  diffi- 
culties have  been  overcome,  new  methods  employed,  etc., 
has  been  found  very  helpful  by  the  secretaries  of  a  district 
or  state. 

2. — Friendly  relations  ought  also  to  exist  between  the 
secretary  and  the  executive  officers  of  the  State  and  Inter- 
national Committees.  On  account  of  their  wider  field  and 
larger  experience  these  officers  will  often  be  able  to  give 
advice  which  the  local  secretary  should  welcome  and 
utilize.  He  should  familiarize  himself  with  their  duties, 
methods,  and  difficulties,  and  be  interested  in  the  financial 
and  moral  support  of  their  work.  He  will  thus  widen  his 
own  sphere  of  usefulness  and  that  of  his  Association.    The 


142  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.      Chap.  11,  H,  3. 

State  ana  International  Secretaries  will  sometimes  have 
influence  with  persons  in  the  community  whom  the  local 
secretary  may  not  be  able  to  reach.  He  can  help  them  in 
their  work,  and  they  can  help  him  in  his.  Experience 
shows  that  interest  taken  in  the  broader  work,  or  financial 
aid  afforded  it,  stimulates  and  strengthens  the  local  work. 
3. — During  the  International  Secretaries'  Conference,  at 
Chicago,  in  1880,  some  of  the  secretaries  entered  into  a 
mutual  agreement  which  has  more  recently  developed  into 
the  "  Secretaries'  Insurance  Alliance."  The  object  is  to 
defray  the  expenses  incident  to  the  last  sickness  and  death 
of  any  member.  Membership  is  open  to  any  man  whose 
whole  time  is  employed  by  an  American  Association.  The 
assessments,  payable  upon  the  death  of  a  member,  are  very 
small,  while  each  benefit  amounts  to  several  hundred  dol- 
lars. Further  particulars  may  be  had  by  addressing  the 
treasurer  of  the  Alliance,  in  care  of  the  Chicago  Associa- 
tion. 


CHAPTER  13. 

THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY— PERSONAL  HINTS. 


1. — Accepting  a  call. — The  attitude  of  one  who  expects 
to  be  used  of  God  should  be  that  of  willingness  to  go  to 
the  field  where  he  is  most  needed  and  to  which  he  is  best 
adapted  ;  not  to  the  largest  or  easiest  place,  or  where 
the  greatest  salary  is  offered.  An  untried  man  might 
better  take  an  assistant's  place  or  a  small  field  than 
a  large  one.  Success  in  the  former  is  almost  certain  to 
lead  to  a  call  to  a  more  important  opening,  offering  greater 
opportunities  for  usefulness  as  well  as  greater  responsibili- 
ties. 

When  practicable,  a  visit  should  be  made  to  an  Associa- 
tion before  an  invitation  to  its  secretaryship  is  accepted, 
for  the  purpose  of  looking  over  the  field  and  of  consulta- 
tion with  the  board  of  directors  and  other  members. 
The  candidate  may  well  ascertain  :  (a)  What  is  the  finan- 
cial condition  of  the  Association?  Is  it  free  from  debt? 
How  much  was  received  last  year  from  memberships, 
subscriptions,  and  other  sources,  and  what  were  the  item- 
ized expenditures  ?  What  is  the  itemized  estimate  of  re- 
ceipts and  expenditures  for  the  coming  year?  (5)  Are 
fairs  and  entertainments  considered  legitimate  sources  of 
current  income  ?  (c)  Is  the  finance  committee  efficient  ? 
{d)  Are  salaries  paid  monthly  ?  (e)  What  is  expected  of 
the  secretary  in  relation  to  the  finances  of  the  Association? 
(/)  How  many  hours  daily  is  he  expected  to  devote  to  the 


144  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  Chap.  12,  2. 

work  ?  What  weekly  rest  is  he  to  have,  in  place  of  Sun- 
day rest?  (g)  what  paid  assistance  is  furnished,  in  the 
care  of  the  rooms,  etc.?  (A)  What  lines  of  work  were  un- 
dertaken last  year,  and  with  what  results  ?  (^)  How  many 
active,  reliable  workers  are  there  ?  (J)  Has  the  Association 
the  sympathy  and  co-operation  of  the  churches,  and  does 
it  stand  well  with  young  men  and  business  men  ? 

A  written  agreement  or  a  definite  entry  on  the  minutes 
is  desirable. 

When  a  visit  is  not  practicable,  these  matters  should 
be  settled  by  correspondence. 

2. — Beginning  loork.  A  secretary's  first  duty  is  to 
get  acquainted  with  his  Association — its  members  and  its 
history,  including  the  causes  and  effects  of  former  success 
or  failure.  Many  facts  may  be  obtained  from  the  records, 
and  by  interviews  with  intelligent  and  unprejudiced 
citizens,  including  the  pastors  and  both  members  and  non- 
members  of  the  Association.  He  should  have  at  the  out- 
set any  helpful  information  in  possession  of  state  or  inter- 
national ofiicers.  A  visit  to  the  historical  library  of  the 
International  Committee,  or  of  his  own  State  Committee, 
would  often  prove  very  useful. 

If  the  Association  has  previously  employed  a  general 
secretary,  oris  well  organized,  the  new  secretary  will  quietly 
adjust  himself  to  the  existing  state  of  affairs,  and  suggest 
few,  if  any,  changes  or  modifications  at  the  beginning.  He 
will  have  his  own  ideas,  the  result  of  training  and  habit, 
which  may  or  may  not  be  better  than  those  now  being  car- 
ried out,  a  matter  to  be  determined  onl}^  by  careful  obser- 
vation. He  may  gradually  suggest  to  the  board  such 
changes  as  he  thinks  desirable,  advising  previously  with 
some  of  the  officers  or  leading  members.  Care  should  be 
taken  not  to  reflect  upon  previous  administrations. 

On  entering  a  new  field,  or  a  field  where  the  work  is 
to  be  built  or  re-built  from  the  foundation,  a  different 
course  is  to  be  pursued.  The  secretary  will,  as  in  the 
other  case,  need  to  become  acquainted  with  the  members. 


Chap.  12,  3.  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  145 

and  seek  to  deepen  their  interest  in  the  work.  A  strictly 
confidential  list  of  the  members,  giving  some  charac- 
teristics of  each,  together  with  the  interest  he  has  shown 
in  the  past  and  his  fitness  for  special  lines  of  work,  would 
be  of  great  value  to  the  beginner.  It  might  be  prepared 
with  the  help  of  some  officer  of  the  Association,  suggested 
perhaps  by  the  State  Secretary.  He  should,  of  course,  be 
able  to  present  to  them  some  definite  outline  of  what  is  to 
be  undertaken.  Accompanied  by  some  member  of  the 
board,  he  should  call  on  business  men,  former  sub- 
scribers, and  those  who  may  become  such  ;  inform  them 
of  the  work  proposed,  and  by  courtesy  and  tact  secure 
their  co-operation.  The  pastors  should  be  advised  with. 
Next  will  come  j^l^nning  and  setting  in  operation  the 
various  lines  of  work.  Let  any  legitimate  work  already 
existing  be  incorporated  in  the  new  plans.  Committees 
should  be  formed,  or  reorganized,  and  got  at  work,  special 
effort  being  directed  towards  the  development  of  the 
active  members.  The  finances  should  be  put  upon  a 
systematic  and  permanent  basis,  and  order  and  system 
established  in  connection  with  every  department.  (Further 
suggestions  are  given  in  chapter  4.) 

3. —  Correspondence. — The  secretary  should  cultivate  the 
art  of  correspondence,  acquiring  a  fair  business  hand,  and 
a  correct  style  as  to  orthography  and  clearness  of  expres- 
sion. Occasions  constantly  arise  when  a  secretary  pos- 
sessing grace  and  tact  as  a  correspondent  may  use  the  gift 
to  advantage.  Often  a  note  will  be  a  helpful  preliminary 
to  a  personal  visit,  or  will  go  where  a  personal  interview 
Avould  be  difficult  or  embarrassing.  One  is  sometimes 
able  to  present  a  subject  more  fully,  freely,  and  logically 
in  writing  than  he  would  be  liable  to  do  orally.  A  busi- 
ness letter  will  often  present  the  opportunity  for  a  friendly 
word,  or  a  Scripture  reference,  perhaps  bearing  some  apt 
relation  to  the  topic  of  correspondence.  A  member  re- 
moving to  another  city  should  not  only  be  given  a  note  of 
introduction,  but  in  every  case  a  letter  should  be  written 


146  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  Chap.  12,  4. 

to  the  secretary,  and,  when  practicable,  to  a  pastor.  Many 
useful  hints  may  thus  be  given,  sometimes  starting  a  train 
of  influence  affecting  a  whole  life.  In  some  cases  a  secre- 
tary may  kee^)  up  an  occasional  correspondence  with  a 
young  man  till  he  is  established  in  his  new  home,  which 
may  be  followed  by  placing  his  name  on  the  mailing  list  of 
the  bulletin. 

A  systematic  plan  by  which  pastors  in  suburban  towns 
would  notify  the  city  secretary  of  the  removal  of  young 
men  from  their  congregations  to  his  vicinity,  would  be  of 
great  practical  value.  (See  "  Corresponding  members  of 
the  district  committee,"  Chap.  31,  F,  3.) 

The  secretary  should  answer  letters  prortiptly,  especially 
those  on  business  and  communications  from  the  State  and 
International  Committees.  It  takes  no  longer  at  one  time 
than  another,  and  delay  is  often  vexatious  if  not  disas- 
trous. Every  Association  should  preserve  letter  press 
copies  of  all  business  letters. 

Caution  should  be  observed  in  giving  letters  of  intro- 
duction where  the  applicant  is  not  thoroughly  known.  A 
short  acquaintancee,  be  it  ever  so  favorable,  will  not  justify 
a  full  endorsement  of  character.  It  is  better  to  be  frank 
and  state  the  simple  facts  than  to  write  in  general  terms. 
Such  letters  often  mislead  or  perhaps  bring  discredit  on 
the  Association.  A  general  secretary's  endorsement  should 
rate  "  Al."  A  letter  of  introduction  will  generally  carry 
more  weight  if  addressed  to  some  individual;  and  there 
can  be  no  impropriety  in  presenting  to  the  secretary  at  St. 
Louis  or  Omaha  such  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Chicago 
secretary.  At  the  same  time  one  will  naturally  be  more 
guarded  in  addressing  a  letter  of  introduction  to  some  par- 
ticular person,  with  whom  he  may  be  personally  ac- 
quainted and  whose  good  opinion  he  prizes,  than  in  address- 
ing it  simply  "  to  whom  it  may  concern." 

4. — Prominent  Visitors. — A  visit  from  a  prominent  As- 
sociation man  may  be  made  helpful  to  the  local  work.  A 
reception,  a  members'  tea,  a  conference  of  the  directors,  or 


Chap.  12,  6.  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  147 

a  public  service  can  be  readily  planned.  When  practica- 
ble, secretaries  should  be  notified  of  such  intended  visits. 

5. — System. — The  secretary  should  have  a  time  for 
everything,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  do  everything  at  its 
time.  He  should  have  regular  office  hours,  that  those 
having  business  with  him  may  know  where  and  when  to 
find  him.  Drawers  and  pigeon  holes  should  be  labeled, 
and  all  documents  so  classified  as  to  be  readily  at  hand 
when  wanted.  There  should  be  an  orderly  arrangement 
of  letter  files,  stationery,  and  all  the  et  ceteras  of  a  well 
appointed  desk.  These  things,  trivial  as  they  seem,  are 
important,  and  index  the  man  and  his  methods. 

6. — Memorandum  Books. — For  routine  work  the  fol- 
lowing is  suggested;  get  two  diaries,  No.  1,  "  General,"  to 
be  kept  at  the  desk,  for  entries,  as  dates  become  known,  of 
such  future  events  as  conventions,  lectures,  entertainments, 
and  Association,  board,  or  committee  meetings,  also  outside 
engagements  and  occurrences  likely  to  interfere  with  the 
work.  Correct  the  list  promptly  if  dates  are  changed. 
This  book  should  be  open  for  the  inspection  and  guidance 
of  all  employes  at  the  building,  and  of  the  various  officers 
and  committees.  Diary  No.  2,*  "  To-day,"  should  be  con- 
venient for  the  pocket  and  always  kept  on  the  person,  for 
constant  and  ready  reference.  Every  Monday  morning 
transfer  items  for  the  current  week  from  No.  1  to  No.  2,  with 
needed  details;  and  every  morning  add  new  appointments 
and  duties. 

Another  book  may  contain  the  items  of  work  that  must 
be  done  every  year,  arranged  under  the  appropriate 
months.  Its  use  should  lead  to  preparation  in  advance  for 
every  such  duty,  and  also  to  the  enlargement  of  former 
plans,  f 

In  addition  to  these  the  secretary  should  have,  in  form 
for  easy  reference,  lists  of  the  different  classes  of  members, 
and  of  the  officers,  directors  and  committees,  cut  perhaps 

*  "  standard  Diary  No.  570,"  seven  days  to  the  page,  is  especially  adapted  to  this 
purpose. 

t  See  "  Some  things  apt  to  be  neglected,"  "  Watchman,"  1889,  page  484, 


148  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  Chap.  13,  7. 

from  the  annual  report.  He  should  also  keep  memoranda 
of  new  members,  applicants  for  membership,  inquirers,  etc 
It  would  be  well  for  him  to  keep  a  brief  journal  of  the  work 
and  incidents  of  each  day.  An  interleaved  copy  of  the 
aimual  report,  for  notes  during  the  year,  will  be  very 
helpful. 

7. — Statistics,  etc, — A  secretary  should  realize  the  im- 
])ortance  of  preserving  statistics  and  all  information  re- 
lating to  the  worK.  He  should  see  that  complete  sets  of 
state,  international,  and  local  reports,  also  of  "  The  Young 
Men's  Era"  and  the  local  bulletin,  are  preserved  for  the 
Association  library..  These,  neatly  bound,  will  form  an 
important  feature  of  the  library,  the  value  of  which  will 
increase  year  by  year. 

Newspaper  cuttings  relating  to  the  local  work  may  be 
pasted  chronologically  in  strongly  bound,  medium-sized 
scrap  books.  Other  cuttings,  printed  matter,  or  notes  on 
any  subject  can  be  advantageously  arranged  in  strong 
manilla  envelopes,  6^  x  9^  inches;  and  articles  in  books 
and  periodicals  may  be  referred  to  by  a  card  index.  The 
use  of  Prof.  Dewey's  "Decimal  Classification,"  published 
by  the  Library  Bureau,  146  Franklin  St.,  Boston,  will  be 
found  invaluable  in  this  connection.  In  the  fourth  edition 
of  this  work,  recently  published,  several  pages  are  given  to 
the  classification  of  the  publications  of  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Associations.     (See  Chap.  24,  B,  4.) 

The  secretary  may  mark  the  articles  to  be  indexed  while 
reading  them,  leaving  the  preparation  of  the  cards  to  one 
of  his  helpers.  Such  an  index  will  be  especially  useful  in 
directing  the  workers  to  sources  of  information,  and  save 
the  secretary  much  time.     (See  Chap.  20,  A.) 

All  these  matters  of  interest  to  the  local  work  should 
belong  to  the  Association,  the  secretary  keeping,  if  he 
desires,  a  duplicate  set  for  himself. 

8. — Human  Nature. — A  secretary  should  be  a  close 
student  of  human  nature.  His  relations  with  persons  of 
every  class  and  condition   make  it  necessary  for  him  to 


Chap.  12,  10.  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  149 

know  a  man  at  a  glance,  as  an  attitude  of  uncertainty  may 
place  him  at  a  disadvantage.  If  he  acquaints  himself  with 
the  peculiar  temptations  that  surround  young  men  and 
cause  them  to  drift  into  sin  and  crime,  he  may  become  wise 
to  win  and  strong  to  succor  them.*  He  must  guard  against 
imposition,  but  avoid  the  extremes  of  both  credulity  and 
suspicion. 

9. — Dress. — In  dress  and  appearance  a  secretary  should 
be  neither  careless  nor  foppish,  dressing  neatly,  without 
eccentricity,  and  within  his  means.  A  clerical  garb  is 
neither  fitting  nor  helpful.  Sanctified  common  sense  should 
render  a  secretary  jjroof  against  everything  foolish,  vulgar, 
or  offensively  peculiar  in  habits  or  costume.  His  field  of 
labor  includes  every  class,  and  nothing  in  dress  or  manner 
should  bar  him  from  any  circle  of  society.  But  too  much 
attention  must  not  be  given  to  these  things. 

10. —  Conversation. — He  should  seek  to  free  himself 
from  the  use  of  slang  and  cant  phrases,  from  the  too 
prevalent  habit  of  exaggeration,  and  from  at  least  the 
common  grammatical  errors.  Observation  and  a  little 
painstaking  will  ensure  a  fairly  correct  use  of  language  on 
the  part  of  any  one.  The  secretary  should  guard  his  con- 
versation as  to  the  purity  of  its  moral  tone.  Wit  and 
repartee  should  not  be  too  freely  indulged  in  and  never 
approach  the  indelicate.  Especially  should  an  irreverent 
use  of  Scripture  he  avoided.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  a 
man  who  has  little  sense  of  humor  may  well  read  humor- 
ous books  and  cultivate  humorous  acquaintances.  Many 
Christian  men  err  in  dwelling  too  much  on  the  sober  side 
of  life.     A  dull  young  man  won't  win  young  men. 

The  secretary  should  avoid  gossip,  and,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, the  "  small  talk  "  so  common,  and  should  seek  with 
tact  to  lead  conversation  into  sensible  and  instructive 
channels.     It   is   unnecessary  to   introduce    serious  topics 

*  The  foUowing  books  will  be  helpful :  "  Tempted  London  "  (Armstrongg,  New 
York);  "Traps  for  the  Young,"  by  Anthonj-  Comstock  (Funk  &  Wagnalls,  New 
York);  "Man  Traps  of  the  City,"  by  Thoinas  E.  Orpen  (F.  H.  Revell  Co.,  Chicago); 
"  Dying  at  the  Top,"  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Clokey,   Era  Publishing  Co.,  Chicago). 


150  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  Chap.  12,  11. 

constantly,  but  questions  of  the  day,  of  business,  of  school 
life,  science,  and  literature  may  be  readily  suggested.  A 
secretary's  conversation  should  be  such  that  the  transition 
at  any  time  to  a  religious  subject  will  not  be  difficult  nor 
seem  incons^ruous. 

11. — Economy. — A  secretary  deserves  a  living  salary, 
and  if  others  are  dependent  upon  him  must  consider  their 
needs.  He  should  practice  system  and  economy  in  his 
personal  expenditures,  and  never  allow  them  to  exceed  his 
income. 

The  practice  of  systematically  appropriating  a  portion 
of  each  month's  salary  to  certain  uses  is  highly  commended. 
For  example,  at  $50  a  month  :  board  $25,  clothing  $5, 
church  and  benevolence  $5,  books  |3,  incidentals  $7,  laid 
by  $5, — $50.  Some  such  method  may  also  be  safely  pre- 
sented to  any  of  the  members  who  are  working  on  a  salary. 
No  better  rule  can  be  adopted  by  a  young  man  than  that 
of  strictly  cash  purchases.  An  excellent  plan  is  to  draw 
one's  salary  at  the  close  of  the  month  and  place  it  in  bank, 
paying  out  all  larger  amounts  by  check  and  keeping  only  a 
limited  amount  in  pocket.  A  daily  expense  account  should 
be  kept,  and  if  credit  purchases  are  absolutely  unavoidable 
record  made  of  them.  The  secretary  should  also  carefully 
guard  the  expenditures  of  the  Association,  as  far  as  he  is 
responsible  for  them.  Money  is  not  secured  without  effort, 
and  those  who  give  it  have  the  right  to  demand  its  judicious 
use. 

12. — The  Other  Sex. — A  secretary  must  be  guarded  as 
to  his  relations  to  the  other  sex.  If  he  be  a  young  man  of 
pleasing  address  and  fond  of  ladies'  society,  this  will  be 
especially  necessary.  He  had  better  make  a  recluse  of 
himself  than  have  attached  to  his  name  the  unenviable 
reputation  of  a  flirt.  A  secretary's  honor  and  discretion 
must  be  unquestioned. 

13. — Health. — A  secretary  must  take  care  of  his  health. 
Many  a  man  who  shrinks  intuitively  from  any  moral  de- 
linquency daily  violates  the  laws  of  physical  being  with 


Chap.  12,  13.  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  151 

apparent  thoughtlessness.  An  intelligence,  a  reverence, 
and  a  conscience  are  needed  concerning  this  matter  that 
can  come  only  by  a  study  of  the  laws  of  hygiene,  and  a 
realization  that  the  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
A  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body  is  essential  to  full  and  con- 
tinued usefulness  in  any  occupation.  With  a  secretary 
the  wear  and  tear  of  body,  mind,  and  heart  is  almost  con- 
stant and  often  intense.  Hygienic  rules  must  be  establish- 
ed and  maintained,  or  he  will  break  down  and  fail,  perhaps 
when  his  work  is  only  begun.  The  hours  for  meals  and 
sleep  must  be  sacredly  kept  free  from  business  cares. 
Meals  must  not  be  hurried.  Dyspepsia  will  be  the  sure 
sequel  to  rapid  eating.  Entertaining  conversation  is  an 
aid  to  digestion.  There  is  no  more  appropriate  place  for 
a  hearty  laugh  than  at  or  after  meals.  Light  reading  may 
be  reserved  for  the  late  evening.  A  few  minutes'  light 
exercise  just  previous  to'retiring  will  induce  sleep.  A^iy 
tendency  to  sleeplessness  should  be  remedied  at  once.  Eight 
hours'  sleep  is  not  too  much  for  a  general  secretary. 

At  least  half  a  day — and  better  a  whole  day — in  every 
week  should  be  taken  for  rest  and  recreation,  as  the  sec- 
retary has  no  sabbath  in  the  sense  of  relaxation  from  his 
usual  lines  of  work.  His  recreation  should  as  far  as  practi- 
cable be  taken  in  the  open  air  both  in  summer  and  winter. 
Daily  systematic  exercise,  for  a  few  minutes  at  least,  is 
indispensable,  and  will  be  far  more  valuable  if  taken  in 
pleasant  companionship.  If  the  Association  has  a  gymna- 
sixim  and  athletic  field  the  secretary  should  by  all  means 
iinp?ove  this  opportunity  for  his  own  physical  welfare,  and 
for  gaining  an  influence  over  young  men  whose  acquain- 
tance he  might  never  make  elsewhere.  (See  Chap.  25,  B. 
2.)  If  such  facilities  are  not  available,  simple  and  suffi- 
cient apparatus  may  be  placed  in  his  room  at  trifling  cost, 
and  he  may  be  the  more  active  in  the  outing  club.  A 
home  at  some  distance  from  the  rooms  will  enforce  a  good 
walk  several  times  a  day.  Such  time  is  not  lost,  for  a 
secretary  will  do  more  and  better  work  through  the  re- 


152  'SHE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  Chap.  12,  14. 

newed  vigor  thus  ohtained.  There  are  excellent  books  on 
preserving  and  recovering  health,  which  should  be  read, 
prominent  among  them  Blakie's  "  How  to  get  strong." 

14. —  Growth. — Young  men  are  full  of  the  spirit  of 
activity  and  progress.  With  this  element  lacking  in  the 
work  their  interest  cannot  long  be  held.  The  secre- 
tary's inner  life  of  thought  and  purpose  must  be  fresh 
and  earnest,  if  he  would  enlist  young  men  of  character 
and  energy.  If  he  becomes  sluggish  or  mechanical,  con- 
tent to  run  in  ruts,  the  live  workers  will  soon  drop  out. 
The  character  of  the  secretary  will  govern  to  a  large  de- 
gree that  of  the  organization  with  whose  interests  he  is  so 
intimately  connected. 

Many  come  into  the  secretaryship  from  business  life  and 
without  the  culture  and  mental  discipline  derived  from  a 
thorough  course  of  study,  but  a  well-stored  mind  is  a 
possibility  before  every  young  man.  The  world  is  to-day 
full  of  a  new  class  of  books,  for  example  the  "  Chautauqua 
Text  Books,"  which  are  concise  yet  comprehensive,  fitted 
for  busy  men,  and  giving  a  general  knowledge  of 
matters  upon  which  students  spend  many  years.  An 
hour  of  earnest  work  each  day,  if  wisely  and  systematically 
directed,  will  in  two  or  three  years  make  one  acquainted 
with  a  large  part  of  that  which  is  really  important  in 
history,  literature,  and  science  ;  and  this  course  continued 
will  so  stimulate  and  enrich  the  mind  as  to  naturally 
attract  young  men  of  culture  and  active  intellectual  life. 
There  is  also  needed  a  spiritual  growth  to  be  gained  only 
by  an  earnest  study  of  God's  word.  The  secretary  should 
also  grow  in  knowledge  regarding  the  best  methods  of 
work,  being  on  the  alert  to  gain  both  hints  and  warnings 
from  his  co-workers  in  other  fields.  By  reading  the  religious 
papers  of  the  different  denominations  he  can  inform  him- 
self as  to  what  they  are  doing,  and  what  criticisms  or 
commendations  they  make  regarding  the  Association. 

15. — Spiritual  Life. — There  is  not  only  a  possibility  but 
a  great   danger,  that   in  his   multitude  of  labors  and    liis 


Chap.  12,  15.  THE  GENERAL  SECRETARY.  153 

aiixiet}',  even  for  tlie  spiritual  work  of  the  Association, 
the  secretary  will  neglect  the  nurture  of  his  own  spiritual 
life.  In  order  to  a  healthful  religious  life  he  must  live  in 
constant  and  intimate  communion  with  God.  He  must 
take  time  for  prayer  and  meditation,  and  for  the  study  of 
the  Bible  for  his  personal  benefit.  He  must  select  the 
time  of  day  when  he  will  be  least  liable  to  interruption, 
and  strictly  maintain  the  habit.  The  morning  hour  before 
going  to  his  office  is  generally  considered  to  be  the  best 
time. 


OHAPTEH  13. 

SECURING   AND    TRAININa   EMPLOYED    OFFICERS 
OF  THE  ASSOCIATIONS. 


SECTION  A. 

DEMAND    AND    SUPPLY. 

1. — Previous  to  1870  there  was  but  little  demand  for 
the  officer  now  known  as  general  secretary.  No  partic- 
ular standard  of  qualifications  had  been  fixed,  and  the 
duties  of  the  position  were  ill-defined,  the  work  in  general 
lacking  definiteness  as  to  its  scope  and  methods.  Since 
then,  however,  the  rapid  increase  in  the  number  of  organi- 
zations, with  the  improvement  and  growing  similarity  of 
methods,  has  called  for  more  and  better  men,  not  only  as 
secretaries,  but  also  as  physical  directors  and  librarians. 
Assistant  secretaries  specially  qualified  for  work  among 
boys  are  also  sought  for.  Of  late  years  it  has  been  im- 
possible to  properly  meet  these  varied  demands.* 

2. — The  supply  must  come  mainly  from  the  Associations, 
and  through  the  agency  of  the  secretaries.  Young  men 
brought  to  Christ  through  the  Association,  and  active  in 
its  work,  will  more  naturally  than  others  appreciate  the 
opportunities  of  the  work  and  desire  to  enter  it ;  and  the 
secretary,  from  his  position,  will  be  able  to  lead  their 
thoughts  in  this  direction. 

3. — A  secretary  recognizing  his  responsibility  will  be  on 
the  alert  to  discover  such  young  men  among  his  workers, 

*See  Int.  pph.  No.  610. 


Chap.  13,  B,  1.     SECURING  EMPLOYED  OFFICERS.  155 

and  his  relations  to  these  possible  candidates  will  involve 
important  and  delicate  duties.  Some  will  desire  to  enter 
the  work  who  are  lacking  in  capacity  or  adaptation,  or 
from  inadequate  motives.  These  must  be  shown  their 
mistake  and  retained  as  contented  workers  in  the  local 
field.  Others  possessing  marked  qualifications,  but  of 
modest  disposition,  will  need  encouragement,  and  can 
safely  be  prompted  to  a  careful  consideration  of  the 
matter.  Others  still,  although  recognizing  their  fitness, 
may  hesitate  to  give  their  lives  to  this  particular  service, 
especially  if  somewhat  ignorant  regarding  it.  They 
reqnire  information  regarding  the  growth  and  present 
condition  of  the  work,  the  broad  field  of  opportunity,  and 
its  need  of  capable  men.  In  some  cases  a  testing  process 
may  go  on  for  months  or  years,  but  this  labor  of  the  secre- 
tary towards  the  development  of  his  members  is  not  lost, 
no  effort  being  more  fruitful,  whether  the  gain  be  to  the 
general  or  the  local  field. 

4. — The  demand  for  young  men  of  culture  in  the  secre- 
taryship should  incite  the  oflacers  of  College  Associations 
to  special  effort  in  pressing  its  claims  upon  Christian 
students.  It  is  necessary  to  look  in  this  direction  for 
many  men  to  fill  important  positions  in  the  work.* 


SECTION  B. 

METHODS    OP   TRAINING. 

1. — When  a  young  man  desires  to  enter  the  service  of 
the  Associations,  and  is  believed  to  possess  natural  qualifi- 
cations and  proper  motives,  he  should  secure  as  thorough 
a  preparation  as  possible.  There  can  be  no  better  founda- 
tion (a  good  English  education  being  of  course  taken  for 
granted),  than  several  years  of  experience  with  a  good  busi- 

*  See  "  The  claims  of  the  general  secretaryship  on  young  men  of  education  and 
ability,"  Int.  pph.  No.  306, 


15G  SECURINa  EMPLOYED  OFFICERS.     Chap.  13,  B,  2. 

ness  house,  together  with  practice  in  varied  work  under 
an  experienced  secretary.  There  should  be  a  systematic 
study  of  Association  publications.  The  need  of  the  latter 
was  recognized  early  by  the  International  Committee,  and 
its  **  Outline  of  study,"  arranged  in  1881,  was  the  first 
practical  step  towards  a  course  of  reading.  The  present 
volume  has  been  evolved  from  this  **  Outline,"  by  a  long 
process  of  addition  and  revision.  Attendance  at  conven- 
tions, and  especially  at  international*  and  state  conferences 
of  employed  officers,  is  very  profitable.  These  conferences, 
with  the  permanent  literature  resulting  from  the  publica- 
tion of  papers  read  at  them,  have  in  the  past  constituted 
one  of  the  most  important  elements  in  the  training  of  men. 
Visits  to  successful  Associations,  with  careful  observation 
and  use  of  the  note  book,  will  also  be  helpful;  and  a  term  of 
service-as  assistant,  if  the  duties  are  not  simply  routine  and 
mechanical  in  character,  will  be  a  good  practical  training. 
2. — A  plan  by  which  candidates  should  visit  certain 
Associations  and  pursue  a  course  of  training  for  several 
weeks  under  their  secretaries  was  inaugurated  by  the 
International  Committee  in  1880,  and  carried  on  for  some 
years.  For  a  long  time,  however,  thoughtful  Association 
men  felt  that  there  should  be  some  system  of  equipping 
men  more  fully  for  the  work,  and  that,  if  years  of  study 
are  needed  to  fit  them  for  other  callings,  like  preparation 
should  be  made  for  a  life-work  requiring  such  a  diversity 
of  gifts  and  involving  so  much  responsibility  as  this. 
They  realized  too  that  a  knowledge  was  required  of  cer- 
tain foundation  truths  and  principles  not  gained  through 
existing  agencies,  not  apt  to  be  acquired  in  the  busy 
whirl  of  office  life,  and  yet  for  want  of  which  many  good 
men  became  discouraged  and  left  the  work.  It  was  also 
evident  from  the  brief  service  of  many  that  they  lacked 
essential  qualifications,  or  entered  the  work  with  no  just 
conception  as  to  its  character;  and  these  secretarial  failures 
were  often  disastrous  to  the  Associations. 

*  An  outline  of  these  conferences  from  1871  to  1888  is  given  in  Int.  pph.  No.  6. 


Chap.  ]?S,  B,  4.   SECURING  employed  officers.  157 

3. — Such  thoughts  have  found  a  practical  expression  in 
the  establishment  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion Training  Schools  at  Springfield,  Mass.,  in  1885,  and 
at  Chicago,  111.,  in  1890. 

In  addition  to  a  general  course  in  the  systematic  study 
of  the  Bible  and  methods  of  Christian  work,  special  courses 
are  provided  at  these  schools  for  general  secretaries,  physi- 
cal directors,  librarians,  etc.,  these  courses  including  both 
theory  and  practice. 

4. — Further  study  after  entering  the  work,  fraternal  in- 
tercourse with  men  engaged  in  the  same  lines,  and  attend- 
ance at  conventions,  secretaries'  conferences,  and  summer 
schools  and  institutes  have  decided  value.  Every  Associa- 
tion can  afford  to  place  some  such  opportunities  within 
reach  of  its  employes,  not  as  vacation  pleasures,  for  they 
mean  hard  work,  but  as  a  part  of  their  regular  service. 


CHAPTER  14.. 

THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME  * 

Organized  work  requires  a  home.  There  must  be  a 
known  center  at  and  around  which  its  forces  gather  and 
from  which  its  influence  radiates.  To  this  rule  associated 
work  for  young  men  is  no  exception. 

What  shall  this  home  be, — what  its  character  as  to  loca- 
tion, construction,  equipment  and  tenure, — in  order  to 
place  the  Association  on  the  highest  vantage  ground  and 
afford  the  best  facilities  for  its  work  ?  How  shall  such  a 
home  be  secured  ?  How  shall  the  home  once  secured  be 
cared  for  ?  Answers  to  these  questions  will  be  attempted 
in  this  and  the  following  chapters. 


SECTION  A. 

ADVANTAGES    OP    OAVNIXG    A    BUILDING. 

1. — An  Association  should  aim  from  the  beginning  to 
secure  for  itself  a  suitable  and  permanent  home.  Although 
a  few  small  rooms  may  for  a  time  accommodate  its  work, 
yet  the  present  is  an  era  of  rapid  development,  when 
many  an  organization  attains  in  a  single  year  a  position 
formerly  gained  only  in  a  decade;  and  a  vigorous  growth 
may  be  easily  and  early  dwarfed  by  withholding  the  facili- 

*  Thia  term  is  used  in  its  general  sense,  covering  both  the  Association  building 
and  rented  rooms.  Much  in  this  and  the  following  chapter  will  apply  to  both, 
and  it  will  be  readily  seen  where  the  references  are  specific,  as  in  section  A  of  this 
chapter. 


Chap.  14,  A,  3.       the  association  home.  I59 

ties  for  enlargement.  As  soon  as  an  Association  has  prac- 
tically demonstrated  its  fitness  and  ahility  to  live,  it 
deserves  a  home  of  its  own. 

2. — Negative  reasons  why  an  Association  should  possess 
a  home: 

a.  The  difficulty  of  finding  rooms  suitable  as  to  loca- 
tion, size,  and  adaptation. 

b.  The  cost  of  such  rooms,  if  found. 

c.  The  trouble,  expense,  and  often  impossibility  of 
making  the  changes  needed  by  a  growing  organization. 

d.  The  uncertainty  of  tenure. 

3. — Positive  advantages  connected  with  the  possession 
of  a  building: 

a  Permanency.  A  substantial  building  owned  by  an 
incorporated  society  is  a  guarantee  of  stability.  It  gives  to 
an  Association  and  its  work  a  permanent  aspect  that  is 
helpful  in  many  ways,  inspiring  respect  and  confidence, 
and  provoking  liberality,  not  only  as  to  current  support, 
but  in  the  way  of  bequests  and  benefactions.  It  creates  a 
home  feeling  which  knits  the  membership  closely  together. 
"  Formerly  a  temporary  experiment,  now  an  institution  of 
the  city,"  happily  phrases  the  transition  from  rented  rooms 
to  a  permanent  home. 

h.  Adaptation.  To  secure  the  best  results  with  the  least 
expenditure  of  labor  there  must  be  adaptation  of  means  to 
the  work.  Only  a  building  erected,  or  thoroughly  remodeled, 
for  the  purpose  can  be  well  adapted  to  the  multiform  work 
and  peculiar  methods  of  a  fully  developed  Association. 

c.  Publicit}'.  There  can  be  no  advertisement  equal 
to  a  conspicuous  building  known  as  the  property  and  home 
of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  No  stranger 
will  ask  in  vain  to  be  directed  to  it,  and  no  young  man 
seeking  a  friendly  resort  need  fail  to  find  its  door.  It  is 
a  perpetual  educator  of  the  people  regarding  the  extent 
and  importance  of  the  work.  It  also  stands  as  a  witness 
to  practical  Christian  unity,  and  the  love  and  care  of  the 
churches  for  young  men. 


160  THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.         Chap.  14,  A,  4. 

d.  Independence.  With  a  building  an  Association  is 
its  own  master  and  not  subject  to  the  whims  of  a  landlord. 
It  can  control  its  immediate  surroundings,  a  very  important 
item.  It  is  not  liable  to  censure  for  every  petty  irregu- 
larity, real  or  seeming  and  sometimes  unavoidable,  occur- 
ring on  its  stairways  or  along  its  halls.  Changes  and 
improvements  can  be  made  as  needed,  subject  only  to  the 
will  and  financial  ability  of  the  management. 

e.  Popularity.  The  acquisition  of  a  good  property 
at  once  raises  the  standing  of  an  Association  in  the  eyes  of 
business  men.  Better  men  are  needed  and  can  be  secured 
to  manage  its  growing  operations,  which  gives  additional 
character  to  the  institution.  The  attendance  at  the  rooms 
and  the  membership  increase,  and  every  department  of  the 
work  is  pushed  with  new  activity. 

/.  Economy.  A  commodious  building,  a  portion  of 
which  can  be  let  to  suitable  tenants  without  detriment  to 
the  working  of  the  Association,  is  the  most  jjopular  form 
of  endowment.  Men  will  give  large  sums  of  money  for 
such  a  building,  which  they  would  not  think  of  giving  to 
an  endowment  fund.  And  again,  in  raising  the  money 
needed  for  the  new  and  enlarged  work  in  the  building, 
men  are  more  willing  to  solicit,  and  those  solicited  are 
more  ready  to  respond.  A  good  property  will  also  enable 
an  Association  to  tide  over  a  financial  crisis  which  might 
otherwise  prove  fatal.  All  improvements  made  upon  the 
premises  have  a  permanent  value  to  the  Association,  and 
the  appreciation  in  real  estate,  an  important  matter  in 
most  cities,  instead  of  increasing  expenditure  by  advancing 
rents,  on  the  other  hand  augments  the  income.  In  letting 
a  portion  of  the  building,  care  should  be  taken  that  noth- 
ing improper  or  annoying  is  brought  into  it.  The  Asso- 
ciation should  not  tie  its  hands  by  long  leases,  or,  through 
false  economy,  fail  to  reserve  ample  room  and  the  best  of 
the  buildinor  for  its  own  use. 

4. — What  has  been  said  in  this  chapter  applies  only  to 
genuine  ownership.     Some  Associations  in  the  past  have 


Chap.  14,  B,  2.       the  association  home.  161 

entered  into  stock  companies  for  the  ownership  of  build- 
ings, or  into  joint  ownership  with  other  societies.  Such 
plans  have  never  worked  satisfactorily  for  any  length  of 
time,  and  have  usually  resulted  in  the  loss  of  all  that  the 
Association  has  put  into  the  enterprise. 


SECTION  B. 

LOCATION. 

1. — An  eligible  site  is  a  matter  of  the  first  importance. 
A  leading  consideration  in  its  selection  is  the  convenience 
of  the  men  for  whom  the  building  is  specially  designed. 
Thus  the  building  of  a  Railroad  Association  is  placed  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  station  or  freight  yards.  A  Col- 
lege Association  locates  its  building  w^here  the  students 
pass  frequently.  A  town  building  is  placed  on  or  near  the 
principal  street.  In  a  large  city  a  location  is  generally 
sought  near  some  center  of  travel.  Several  Associations, 
in  determining  the  sites  for  their  buildings,  have  ascer- 
tained by  actual  count  the  spot  in  the  city  passed  by  the 
largest  number  of  young  men  in  a  given  time,  and  have 
purchased  lots  at  that  point.  The  border  between  the 
business  and  residence  portions,  between  "up"  and 
"  down "  town,  is  often  a  good  location.  In  a  growing 
place  the  probable  drift  of  business  is  to  be  considered. 
There  is  in  every  town  a  popular  section,  and  generally  a 
"  right  side  "  of  the  street.  A  corner  lot  gives  a  more  ex- 
tended outlook,  and  affords  better  facilities  for  air  and 
light.  All  buildings  over  fifty  feet  wide  are  greatly  bene- 
fitted by  such  a  location.  It  is  an  advantage  to  be  entirely 
separated,  if  by  only  a  few  feet,  from  the  neighboring 
buildings,  especially  if  a  corner  lot  cannot  be  secured. 

2. — The  same  considerations  should  govern,  as  far  as 
applicable,  in  selecting  rented  quarters  as  in  choosing  a 
building  site.     Opinions  differ  as  to  which  is  better,  the 


162  THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.  Chap.  14,  C,  1. 

first  or  the  second  floor,  but  probably  nine-tenths  of  the 
Associations,  whether  in  rented  quarters  or  in  buildings  of 
their  own,  liave  their  main  rooms  upon  the  second  floor. 
A  large  flat  is  usually  preferred,  although  an  upper  floor  is 
often  used  for  class  rooms,  etc. 


SECTION  C. 

ARRANGEMENT    AND    CONSTRUCTION. 

1. — In  the  proj^er  arrangement  of  an  Association  build- 
ing, or  of  rented  rooms,  there  needs  to  be  a  well-balanced 
general  plan,  all  departments  being  considered,  and  accord- 
ing to  their  relative  importance.  It  is  better  to  spend 
time  and  money  in  perfecting  plans  than  in  making  alter- 
ations. General  adaptation  ought  never  to  be  sacrificed 
to  one  or  two  special  features.  Outward  appearance  should 
never  be  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  symmetry  and  con- 
venience of  the  interior,  for  the  latter  is  altogether  the 
more  important  to  the  Association.  Just  here  an  archi- 
tect is  apt  to  go  astray,  and  to  need  specific  instructions 
and  careful  watching  on  the  part  of  the  building  com- 
mittee. 

2. — Other  points  to  be  considered  are  economy  of  space; 
convenience,  including  adaptation  of  the  rooms  to  their 
uses  and  easy  supervision;  and  what  maj^  be  termed  non- 
interference, or  such  a  dis230sition  and  separation  of  the 
several  departments  that  the  legitimate  Avork  of  any  one 
may  not  interfere  with  or  annoy  the  others. 

3.  — Only  general  rules  are  possible  regarding  arra^ige. 
ment.  The  location,  size,  and  shape  of  the  building,  or 
rooms,  will  have  much  to  do  in  determining  not  only 
details  but  general  plan.  Plans  of  Association  buildings 
should  be  studied,  such  buildings  should  be  visited,  and 
persons  familiar  with  them  should  be  closely  questioned 
concerning  their  good  and  bad  points.     Unless  this  is  done 


Chap.  14,  C,  5.         THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.  163 

by  both  committee  and  architect,  failure  in  important  par- 
ticulars is  almost  certain. 

4. — An  attractive  and  convenient  entrance  is  one  of  the 
advantages  that  can  be  secured  by  the  erection  of  a  build- 
ing. Commodious  and  perhaps  really  line  apartments 
have  sometimes  been  reached  by  a  narrow  doorway,  ladder- 
like stairs,  and  dark  passages.  To-day  an  elegant  portal, 
with  a  broad,  easy  stairway  and  well  lighted  hall,  is  the 
standard  model.  Th.Qfull  name,  "Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,"  should  be  cut  in  stone  over  the  entrance,  and, 
if  practicable,  elsewhere  and  more  prominently  upon  the 
front  of  the  building. 

5 . — The  following  rooms  are  desirable  for  a  fully  organ- 
ized work: 

a.  Reception  room.  Whatever  may  be  the  shape  of 
the  building,  its  interior  is  so  planned  that  this  shall  be  the 
initial  or  focal  apartment,  by  which  all  enter,  from  which 
the  various  rooms  or  departments  are  all  reached,  and 
tlirough  which  every  one  must  again  pass  in  retiring.* 
By  this  means  each  person  upon  entering  and  leaving  the 
building  is  brought  under  the  supervision  of  the  officer  or 
committee  in  charge;  a  very  important  matter  in  connec- 
tion with  control,  economy  of  administration,  recognition 
of  strangers,  and  personal  contact  with  members  amd 
others  frequenting  the  rooms.  In  the  evening  this  room 
is  naturally  the  headquarters  of  the  reception  committee 
carrying  on  this  work,  which  in  the  day  time  must  gen- 
erally be  done  by  the  secretary  or  his  assistant.  At  all 
hours  it  should  have  an  air  of  freedom  from  the  restraint 
necessary  in  the  reading  room  and  some  other  parts  of  the 
building.  It  should  be  fitted  with  conveniences  for  giving 
information  on  all  legitimate  matters  of  public  interest. 
The  latest  time  tables  and  directories  of  all  kinds,  the 
Association  boarding  house  register  and  bulletin  board,  a 
barometer,  weather  reports,  and  when  practicable  telephone 

*  It  is  generally  beet  to  have  the  boys'  rooms,  the  kitchen,  the  janitor's  living 
apartments,  and  the  large  hall  communicate  directly  with  the  street,  independently 
of  the  reception  room,  these  being  the  only  exceptions  to  the  above  rule. 


164  THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.         Chap.  14,  C,  5. 

and  messenger  service  should  be  among  its  appliances. 
The  posting  of  the  weekly  printed  list  of  unclaimed  letters, 
furnished  by  the  post-office,  is  desirable.  This  room  is 
also  a  good  place  for  any  novel  or  striking  attraction.  All 
who  have  visited  the  old  Aldersgate  street  rooms  of  the 
London  Association,  remember  at  the  entrance  of  the  hall- 
like reception  room  two  immense  globes,  like  sentinels  on 
either  hand,  as  if  to  challenge  each  comer  and  ask  him 
from  what  part  of  the  round  earth  he  hails.  A  simple  yet 
novel  article,  exhibited  by  one  of  the  smaller  city  Associa- 
tions, is  a  section  of  bark  from  a  California  red-wood.  It 
has  attracted  the  attention  and  inquiries  of  hundreds.  A 
little  enterprise  has  made  many  an  Association  home  rich 
in  these  pleasing  and  instructive  features.  Valuable  les- 
sons in  this  line  can  be  learned  from  places  of  vicious 
resort  and  methods  there  used  to  attract  the  attention. 
The  entrance  to  this  room  should  always  be  by  a  glazed 
door;  young  men,  especially  strangers,  being  more  free  to 
enter  a  place  thus  open  to  view. 

h.  Secretary's  office.  A  portion  of  the  reception 
room,  partially  enclosed  by  a  railing,  counter,  or  glass  par- 
tition, is  generally  used  as  the  business  office  of  the  Asso- 
ciation. The  desk  of  one  of  the  secretaries  should  com- 
mand the  entire  room  and  should  always  be  accessible  to 
visitors.  But  a  private  office,  if  only  a  small  one,  is  quite 
as  much  needed.  It  usually  opens  off  the  public  office, 
and  is  in  frequent  use  for  confidential  interviews  or  for 
small  committee  meetings.  Its  location  should  be  such  as 
to  keep  the  secretary  within  easy  reach  of  legitimate  busi- 
ness. Especially  should  he  not  be  hidden  away  during 
the  more  public  and  social  hours.  These  offices  should  be 
fully  supplied  with  closets  and  cabinets  arranged  to  hold 
Association  blanks,  reports,  stationery,  etc. 

c.  Reading  room.  Suggestions  are  given  in  chapter 
24,  A. 

d.  Correspondence  room.  Facilities  for  correspond- 
ence are  always  provided  in  the  reception  room  or  else- 


Chap.  14,  C,  5.         THE  ASSOCIATIOiS-  HOME.  165 

where,  and  in  some  buildings  a  room  is  devoted  to  tliis 
purj^ose.  Such  a  room  may  be  made  especially  attractive 
to  commercial  travelers. 

e.  Recreation  or  amusement  room.  The  name  "  game 
room  "  sometimes  given  to  this  apartment  is  deemed  ob- 
jectionable by  many.     "Leisure  room"  is  better. 

/'.   Social  parlor  or  parlors. 

g.  Lavatory  or  toilet  room,  with  water  closets,  and,  if 
practicable,  baths — the  last  named  being  for  the  use  of 
members  who  do  not  hold  gj^mnasium  tickets,  and  who,  of 
course,  are  not  admitted  to  anj^  of  the  privileges  connected 
with  the  gymnasium.  A  ladies'  toilet  room  is  also  desirable. 

h.  Lecture  room  or  small  hall,  seating  from  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  to  four  hundred  persons,  and  designed  espe- 
cially for  gatherings  of  young  men.  A  small  room  directly 
connected  with  this  hall  may  be  very  useful  for  inquiry 
meetino^s  after  reliarious  services. 

i.  Class  rooms,  fitted  with  desks,  blackboards,  etc. 
If  not  in  use  every  evening  for  classes,  these  rooms  can  be 
occupied  by  the  literary  society  or  committee  meetings. 

j.  Gymnasium,  with  adjoining  oflice  for  the  physical 
director,  overlooking  all  the  physical  department  rooms; 
dressing  and  bath  rooms,  including,  if  practicable,  a  swim- 
ming bath;  and  work  shop  and  store  room.  A  room  where 
members  of  the  Associations  can  keep  their  bicycles  has 
been  found  useful  in  a  number  of  Associations.  For 
suggestions  in  detail  see  chapter  25,  D. 

k.  Bowling  Alley.  It  is  desirable  that  this  be  con- 
nected with  the  gymnasium,  but  not  in  the  same  apai't- 
ment.  Each  full  sized  alley  requires  five  by  eighty  feet  of 
floor  sj^ace. 

I.  Library.  A  growing  library  is  one  of  the  most 
difficult  things  to  arrange  for.  Room  sufficient  for  years 
to  come  should  be  provided  in  the  original  plan,  but  can 
often  be  used  for  other  Association  purposes  or  rented 
out  until  needed.  Meantime  the  books  may  be  kept  in 
one  of  the  other  rooms,  their  location  being  determined 


l^Q  THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.         Chap.  14,  C,  5. 

by  the  convenience  both  of  the  readers  and  custodian. 
Sometimes  a  gallery  in  the  reading  room  accommodates 
the  library.     (See  Chap.  24,  B.) 

771.  Boys'  room  or  rooms,  so  placed  in  the  basement 
or  upper  stories  as  to  be  isolated,  as  far  as  practicable, 
from  the  rest  of  the  building,  provided  the  Association 
expects  to  have  a  secretary  or  committee  man  in  the  room 
whenever  it  is  open.  When  this  is  likely  to  be  impractica- 
ble, the  secretary  should  command  a  vicAV  of  the  room 
from  his  desk  through  a  window.     (See  Chap.  28,  E.) 

71.  Store  room  and  closets.  An  exceedingly  important 
but  often  neglected  item  is  a  proper  amount  of  space  for 
storage  purposes,  so  that  the  rest  of  the  building  may  not 
be  lumbered  up  and  rendered  untidy  by  sundry  articles, 
temporarily  out  of  use. 

o.  A  coat  room,  arranged  to  receive  hats,  coats,  and 
umbrellas,  is  indispensable  in  connection  with  the  recep- 
tion room.  When  in  charge  of  a  responsible  person,  it  is 
also  often  a  place  of  deposit  for  valuables  by  members 
passing  to  the  gymnasium.  For  this  reason  it  is  desirable 
to  have  it  immediately  at  the  entrance  to  the  gymnasium, 
and  also  in  order  that  the  attendant  may  admit  members 
through  a  locked  door  into  the  latter.  Otherwise  this 
door  must  be  controlled  from  the  secretary's  desk.  Where 
there  is  a  long  passage  to  the  gymnasium,  a  mirror  is 
sometimes  so  placed  as  to  assist  the  attendant  in  his  over- 
sight. There  should  be  a  separate  entrance  to  the  visitors' 
gallery  of  the  gymnasium,  and  no  possibility  of  passing 
from  this  gallery  to  the  floor. 

p.  Hall,  seating  from  six  to  twelve  hundred  persons.* 

q.  Board  room.  Although  meetings  of  the  board  and 
committees  can  be  held  in  the  parlors  or  other  rooms,  an 

*  This  is  needed  in  large  cities,  but  is  used  by  the  Association  far  less  than  many 
other  rooms.  The  few  large  gatheriuga  that  most  Associations  hold  can  better  bo 
accommodated  in  some  other  public  building,  secured  for  the  purpose,  than  in  an 
"Association  Hall"  which  crowds  necessary  every-day  apartments  out  of  the 
building.  Such  a  hall  has  sometimes  been  expected  to  be  an  important  source  of 
revenue,  but  these  hopes  have  generally  been  disappointed,  because  an  Associa- 
tion, on  account  of  the  views  of  some  of  its  supporters,  cannot  rent  its  hall  for 
many  purposes  quite  legitimate  in  the  case  of  an  ordinary  public  assembly  room. 


Chap.  14,  C,  7.       THE  ASSOCiATiois^  home.  t^f 

apartment  expressly  for  this  purpose  is  very  useful.  It  is 
often  provided  with  conveniences  for  serving  a  meal,  or 
refreshments,  in  connection  with  such  meetings. 

r.  Kitchen,  connected  by  a  dumb  waiter  with  the  other 
stories  of  the  building. 

s.  Janitor's  living  rooms  are  usually  located  in  one  of 
the  upper  stories. 

6. — In  the  general  arrangment  of  the  rooms  the  best 
light  is  given  to  the  reading  room  and  library,  and  the 
pleasantest  outlook  to  the  parlor.  The  principal  rooms 
should  be  connected  by  double  doors,  so  that  they  can  be 
thrown  together  for  social  gatherings.  Ready  passage 
through  the  rooms  on  such  occasions  is  aided  by  having 
more  than  one  entrance  to  each  room.  The  gymnasium 
and  bath  rooms  are  placed  on  the  ground,  unless  the 
building  has  been  constructed  with  reference  to  their  oc- 
cupying upper  floors,  or  such  only  are  available.  In  the 
latter  case  special  provision  must  be  made  for  the  strength- 
ening of  walls,  the  deafening  of  floors,  protection  from 
leakage,  etc.  By  locating  the  dressing  rooms  in  a  low 
story  under  the  gymnasium,  space  is  economized,  and  the 
noise  and  jar  are  experienced  where  they  are  least  annoy- 
ing. The  most  approved  arrangement  gives  the  physical 
department   a  wing  of  the  building  for  its  exclusive  use. 

7. — The  full  list  of  rooms  just  mentioned  is,  of  course, 
beyond  the  needs  and  the  means  of  most  Associations.  A 
judicious  selection  and  combination  ought  to  be  made  in 
each  case.  Many  small  Associations  can  afford  only  a 
single  room,  perhaps  fifteen  by  twenty  feet  in  size.  Nearly 
all  employing  a  secretary  will  have  a  reading  room,  and  a 
parlor  used  also  for  meetings.  Two  such  rooms  connected 
by  wide  doors  may,  hj  re-arrangement  of  furniture  and 
extra  seating,  accommodate  a  varied  work.  A  little  in- 
genuity will  cut  off,  by  a  light  partition  or  even  by  a  cur- 
tain, a  corner  of  one  of  these  rooms  for  a  secretary's  oflice, 
and  perhaps  another  corner  for  a  wash  room  or  kitchen. 
A  portable  wardrobe  may  be  so  fitted  up  with  shelves  and 


168  THE  AsSOClATlOlf  HOME.        Chap.  14,  C,  8. 

pigeon  holes  as  to  hold  record  hooks  and  papers.  Results 
depend  not  so  much  upon  facilities  as  upon  the  wisdom 
and  energy  of  the  workers. 

8. — Too  much  care  cannot  be  taken  in  the  matter  of 
building  material.  Only  that  which  will  be  durable  should 
be  used,  and  also  that  which  will  maintain  its  appearance, 
for  there  is  a  good  deal  in  the  clean,  bright  look  of  a 
building.  The  drip  from  some  varieties  of  stone  will  dis- 
color, and  in  time  seriously  damage,  the  brick  work  with 
which  it  is  connected.  Lumber  should  be  seasoned,  even 
if  the  building  be  somewhat  delayed  on  that  account.  With 
the  present  sensible  and  tasteful  style  of  finishing  in  native 
woods,  paint  and  putty  can  no  longer  be  used  to  remedy 
defects  from  shrinkage. 

9. — The  foundation  of  the  building  is  an  important  item. 
The  nature  of  the  ground  should  be  considered  in  select- 
ing the  site.  Engineering  skill  can  overcome  many  natural 
defects,  but  the  foundation  should  in  all  events  be  sure. 
Many  an  otherwise  fine  structure  becomes  unsightly,  if 
not  unsafe,  from  its  cracked  or  leaning  walls.  Deep 
trenches,  heavy  stone  for  the  lower  courses,  and  abundance 
of  good  cement  are  usually  essential. 

10. — The  basement  may  often  be  a  very  serviceable  part 
of  the  building,  and  should  be  so  constructed  as  to  be 
available  for  future  contingencies,  if  not  needed  at  once. 
It  should  be  dry,  light,  of  sufiicient  height,  and  capable  of 
good  ventilation.  In  many  instances  it  can  be  largely 
above  ground,  but,  if  not,  defects  in  the  items  named  can 
be  overcome  by  areas  and  a  sub-cellar. 

11. — The  walls  of  any  public  building  should  be  sub- 
stantial. The  extra  cost  can  well  be  borne  when  the  ad- 
vantages of  durability  and  safety  from  fire  and  accident 
are  considered.  Inside  partitions  of  brick,  of  good  thick- 
ness, are  valuable  on  these  accounts.  On  the  other  hand, 
iron  columns,  supporting  steel  beams,  occupy  less  space 
and  allow  easier  remodelling  of  rooms,  if  this  becomes 
desirable.     The  floors  should  be  well  supported  and  deaf- 


Chap.  14,  C,  15.      THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.  169 

ened.  Many  well  recommended  methods  of  deafening 
prove  unsatisfactory,  especially  in  connection  with  the 
gymnasium.  Before  adopting  any  plan  its  practical  work- 
ing in  some  building,  under  conditions  similar  to  those 
proposed,  should  be  minutely  investigated. 

12. — The  roof  should  be  covered  with  slate  or  metal, 
pains  being  taken  in  its  construction  as  well  as  in  its 
covering  to  guard  against  leaking  or  damage  by  frost 
and  snow,  matters  to  be  considered  in  all  northern  latitudes. 
The  greater  the  irregularity  of  the  roof  the  more  liability 
to  trouble  in  these  directions.  Cupolas  and  skylights  re- 
quire particular  attention.  All  roof  water  should  be  con- 
ducted to  the  ground  by  leaders,  so  as  to  avoid  drip  from 
the  eaves.  It  is  generally  best  to  have  the  leaders  inside 
the  building  to  prevent  their  freezing,  but  in  order  to  ac- 
complish this  the  entire  space  through  which  they  pass 
must  be  warmed. 

13. — Wooden  ceilings,  finished  with  oil  or  shellac  rather 
than  paint,  have  many  advantages  over  plastered  ones. 
They  are  specially  desirable  in  the  gymnasium  and  in  any 
rooms  under  it.  The  former  should  be  without  plaster  or 
wood  work  on  its  side  walls.  Porcelain  faced  brick  make 
the  best  side  walls,  but  less  costly  brick  will  answer  the 
purpose.  A  hard,  smooth  brick,  requiring  little  paint  to 
cover  it,  is  durable,  and  a  light  coat  of  paint  can  be  repeated 
at  small  cost. 

14. — Everything  practicable  should  be  done  to  render 
the  edifice  fireproof,  especially  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
staircases.  Little  or  no  wood  should  be  exposed  outside 
the  building.  Window  sills  and  caps,  cornices,  and  other 
ornamentation  should  be  of  stone  or  metal.  Portions 
specially  exposed,  as  the  sides  or  rear  when  contiguous  to 
other  buildings,  should  be  protected  by  iron  shutters  on 
doors  and  windows,  and  by  fire  walls  above  the  roof. 

15. — Special  care  is  needed  in  locating  and  fitting  the 
bath  and  toilet  rooms.  They  should  be  conveniently 
placed,  but  not  in  too  public  a  position.     Their  floors, 


i'^O  THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.       Chap.  14,  C,  16. 

walls,  and  ceilings  should  be  of  material  impervious  to 
moisture,  and  as  little  wood  work  and  plaster  as  possible 
should  be  used  in  them.  The  supply  pipe  for  a  system  of 
several  baths  should  be  at  least  two  inches  in  diameter, 
and  this  size  should  be  maintained  as  near  to  the  main  as 
possible,  in  order  to  lessen  friction.  Perfect  ventilation  is 
necessary.  The  windows  should  open  to  the  external  air. 
When  this  is  imj^ossible,  ample  ventilation  should  be 
secured  by  ducts  from  the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  the 
room.  The  best  materials  and  fixtures  should  be  used,  and 
all  pipes  and  plumbing  throughout  the  building  should  be 
exposed,  so  as  to  be  readily  accessible. 

16. — There  should  be  sufficient  space  between  wood 
work  and  flues  to  insure  safety  from  fire,  defective  flues 
being  the  origin  of  more  fires  than  all  other  causes  com- 
bined. All  flues  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  secure  good 
draught  and  to  be  easily  cleaned. 

17. — A  building  should  be  flooded  with  day-light,  even 
if  this  require  the  addition  of  sky-lights,  courts,  and  light- 
shafts.  In  the  matters  of  artificial  light  and  heat,  the  As- 
sociation buildings  are  usually  well  equipped.  The  larger 
buildings  are  generally  heated  by  steam,  probably  the  best 
means  in  use,  unless  hot  water  be  an  exception.  A  high 
pressure  boiler  for  heating  purposes  will  cost  but  little 
more  than  low  pressure,  and  may  also  be  utilized  to  run  a 
dynamo  for  electric  lights.  Some  systems  of  hot  air  heat- 
ing, especially  when  combined  with  a  good  plan  of  venti- 
lation, are  excellent  in  small  buildings.  Ventilation  was 
formerly  much  neglected,  but  now  receives  much  more 
attention.  The  system  of  heating  and  ventilating  by  in- 
direct radiation  and  fans  is  superior  to  all  others.  The 
first  cost  is  only  slightly  above  that  for  direct  radiation, 
but  the  expense  for  fuel  is  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  per 
cent.  more.  Such  apparatus  secures  the  only  satisfactory 
ventilation  both  in  summer  and  winter,  being  capable  of 
forcing  air  through  a  building  twice  each  hour  in  cold 
weather  and  four  times   in  warm  weather.     The  electric 


Chap.  14,  C,  23.     the  association  home.  jij-j 

sj^stem  is  fast  superseding  other  methods  of  lighting,  and 
all  new  buildings  should  be  wired  for  it,  even  if  the  system 
is  not  to  be  used  at  once. 

18. — Thought  must  be  given  to  security  from  the 
weather  and  economy  of  fueh  Not  only  the  rooms,  but 
the  halls,  lobbies,  and  stairways  should  be  made  comfort- 
able in  winter  without  large  expense. 

19. — Acoustics  need  attention,  especially  in  the  assembly 
rooms.  Precautions  should  also  be  taken  against  the  an- 
noying resonance  so  common  in  the  public  passage  wsljs 
of  a  large  structure. 

20. — Accident  from  fire  during  the  construction  of  the 
building  should  be  guarded  against.  There  is  much  more 
danger  than  is  usually  supposed  from  this  source.  The 
matter  of  insurance  in  this  connection  should  be  carefully 
looked  after. 

21. — The  building  should  be  finished,  no  details  being 
left  incomplete.  The  additional  expense  is  slight  for  the 
satisfaction  it  brings.  The  surroundings,  the  walks,  and 
any  yard  or  court  connected  with  the  premises  should  be 
put  in  order.  The  cellars  should  be  cleared  and  proper 
disposition  made  of  all  building  rubbish  which  may  have 
accumulated.  A  graceful  flag-staff  should  crown  the 
edifice,  for  the  national  colors  should  float  from  every 
Association  building. 

22. — The  erection  of  an  Association  building  is  usually 
entrusted  to  a  committee  of  from  three  to  five  thoroughly 
interested  and  competent  men,  with  full  executive  power. 
In  accepting  such  responsibility  they  assume  an  important 
trust,  which  should  be  discharged  with  conscientious 
integrity. 

23. — This  committee  should  make  a  careful  estimate  of 
the  cost  of  the  building,  and  avoid  extravagance  in  its 
construction.  Let  the  impression  get  abroad  that  there  is 
danger  of  a  reckless  use  of  money,  and  people  will  not 
entrust  it  to  the  Association.  The  fact  that  a  city  of 
200,000  population  is  erecting  a  building  worth  |100,000  . 


172  THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.       Chap.  14,  C,  24. 

does  not  constitute  a  reason  why  a  town  of  25,000  should 
endeavor  to  do  the  same  thing. 

24. — Reasonable  provision  should  be  made  for  the  future. 
As  will  be  shown  in  the  next  chapter,  twenty-three  build- 
ings were  occupied  by  Associations  during  the  first  decade 
of  the  building  movement,  from  1867  to  1876.  Nine  of 
these  have  been  superseded  b}^  other  buildings,  in  order  to 
secure  adequate  accommodations.  Another  has  been  en- 
larged, and  two  others  are  soon  to  be  replaced  by  new 
buildings.  Most  of  the  remaining  eleven  buildings  are  in 
small  places.  But  in  a  few  of  them,  originally  planned 
on  a  generous  scale  (among  which  may  be  mentioned  those 
at  Twenty-third  Street,  New  York  City;  and  Poughkeep- 
sie),  one  rented  room  after  another  has  been  taken  for 
Association  purposes,  and,  by  some  changes  in  the  internal 
arrangement,  the  growing  work  has  been  provided  with 
more  space.  It  is  best  so  to  plan  and  construct  a  build- 
ing that  the  portions  designed  for  rental  can  be  readily 
made  available  for  the  purposes  of  the  Association,  with 
little  expense  and  without  interfering  with  the  strength  of 
the  structure. 

Conspicuous  buildings  have  also  awakened  and  kept 
alive  a  public  sentiment  regarding  Association  work  that 
has  been  very  helpful  toward  the  acquisition  of  branch 
buildings. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  question  is  raised  whether,  in  the 
light  of  experience,  very  large  buildings  are  the  most  use- 
ful. It  is  urged  (a)  that  the  right  men  can  be  more  readily 
enlisted  and  retained  on  committees  of  management  where 
only  a  moderate  sum  must  be  raised  in  annual  subscrip- 
tions, and  that  they  can  also  devote  more  attention  to 
details  of  the  entire  work  if  their  time  is  not  largely  occu- 
pied with  financial  matters;  (b)  that  the  active  members 
can  exert  their  influence  much  more  effectively  where  the 
associate  members  are  not  so  numerous  that  it  is  practically 
impossible  to  make  their  acquaintance;  and  (c)  that  the 
secretary  can  better   discharge  his  varied  duties  without 


Chap.  14,  C,  26.     the  association  home.  I73 

being  deprived  by  them  of  close  contact  with  the  members; 
so  that  a  really  social,  home  atmosphere  may  pervade  a 
small  building,  rather  than  that  of  an  institution.  For 
these  reasons  it  is  believed  that  provision  for  three  thou- 
sand members  in  three  buildings  rather  than  in  one  will 
result  in  a  larger  force  of  managers  and  workers,  and  in 
better  practical  results.  This  may  be  accomplished  through 
the  extension  of  the  branch  system. 

25. — In  the  selection  of  architect  and  builder  the  best 
skill  available  should  be  employed.  Home  talent  is  pre- 
ferable on  general  principles,  and  for  convenient  future 
consultation.  There  ought  to  be  no  experiments  in  sup- 
posed economy  at  this  stage  of  the  enterprise.  It  is  some- 
times considered  desirable  to  have  several  architects 
submit  competitive  designs  for  the  building,  based  upon  its 
intended  size,  cost,  and  general  arrangement.  None  should 
be  invited  to  enter  the  competition  who  would  not  be 
thoroughly  acceptable  to  carry  the  work  through.  Money 
premiums  offered  for  the  designs  adjudged  second  and 
third  in  merit  will  secure  better  work  and  afford  some 
compensation  for  labor  expended.  Plans  not  accepted 
remain  the  property  of  the  architects  submitting  them.  If 
it  is  desired  to  incorporate  any  of  their  features  in  the 
building,  the  consent  of  the  owners  should  be  obtained, 
and  remuneration  offered  them.  But  it  is  better  to  select 
a  good  architect  and  have  him  work  up  the  plans. 

26. — If  the  building  is  to  be  erected  by  contract,  esti- 
mates should  be  invited  from  a  number  of  reputable 
builders,  in  order  to  secure  the  most  favorable  terms. 
During  its  erection  there  should  be  competent  (usually 
paid)  daily  supervision  on  behalf  of  the  committee. 


174  THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.  Chap.  14,  D,  1. 

SECTION    D. 

EQUIPMENT. 

1. — The  prevalent  thought  in  the  fitting  up  of  Associa- 
tion rooms  is  to  have  them  resemble  a  home,  cozy,  attract- 
ive, elegant,  as  the  case  maybe.  In  selecting  furniture  the 
best  quality  is  usually  the  cheapest,  durability  being  a 
chief  essential  where  rooms  are  so  much  used.  In  these 
matters  the  nice  discrimination  of  the  ladies  is  valuable 
and  is  generally  brought  into  requisition. 

2. — Floors  of  stone  or  hard  wood  when  really  good  are 
elegant,  durable,  and  easily  kept  clean,  but  are  apt  to  be 
noisy  and,-  in  winter,  cold.  The  difference  between  good 
and  poor  hard  wood  floors  often  depends  entirely  uj^on 
their  finish.  A  good  floor  may  be  ruined  through  neg- 
lect, while  a  somewhat  inferior  one  may  be  kejjt  in  fair 
condition  by  frequent  oiling.  A  partial  covering  is  often 
necessary,  especially  on  the  halls  and  stairways.  Rubbet- 
stair  treads  greatly  lessen  noise.  At  least  one  handsomely 
carpeted  room  is  generally  desirable.  A  properly  prepared 
floor,  partially  laid  with  rugs,  presents  an  attractive  ap- 
pearance. A  good  quality  of  linoleum  makes  an  excellent 
covering  for  an  ordinary  room,  is  more  durable  than  oil 
cloth,  and  more  easily  taken  care  of  than  matting.  Both 
matting  and  carpets  are  objectionable  in  the  more  public 
rooms  on  account  of  the  dust  that  lodges  in  them. 

3. — Walls  are  usually  decorated  in  some  manner.  The 
modern  styles  of  frescoing  are  neat  and  not  very  expensive. 
Kalsomine  is  good  enough  for  ordinary  rooms  and  is  easily 
renewed.  Paper  is  also  much  used,  and,  with  the  present 
artistic  styles,  even  cheap  papers  make  the  plainest  rooms 
inviting,  so  that  there  is  no  excuse  for  shabby  walls  and 
ceilings  in  even  the  poorest  Association  homes.  Little  or 
no  wall  decoration  is  desirable  in  a  new  building  until  it 
has  had  time  to  settle. 

4. — Di'apery  is  desirable  for  windows  and  some  of  the 


Chap.  14,  D,  6.         THE  ASSOCIATION  HOME.  175 

inner  doorways,  except  in  the  reading  room  and  library. 
A  few  pictures,  appropriate  in  character  and  handsomely 
framed,  should  adorn  the  Avails.  A  mantel  with  clock  and 
vases,  something  in  the  line  of  statuary,  or  any  choice 
articles  of  hric-a-hrac  tastefully  disposed  about  the  room 
will  add  to  the  general  home  effect.  Plants,  birds,  or  an 
aquarium  are  attractive,  but  require  considerable  care. 
Music  is  given  a  prominent  place,  no  parlor  being  complete 
without  either  piano  or  organ,  and  often  several  of  these 
instruments  are  found  in  the  various  rooms.  A  group  of 
3^oung  men  gathered  about  the  piano  in^  the  evening  is  a 
familiar  and  pleasing  sight. 

5. — Taste  can  be  displayed  in  the  matter  of  fixtures  for 
heating  and  lighting.  Open  fireplaces  are  attractive  and 
often  convenient,  even  when  chief  dependence  is  placed  on 
other  methods  of  heating.  They  are  also  valuable  aids  in 
ventilation.  With  portable  grates  they  may  burn  either 
wood  or  coal. 

6. — In  fitting  up  rented  quarters  the  fact  of  a  probable 
building  should  be  kept  in  mind,  and  such  furniture  pur- 
phased  as  will  have  a  permanent  value. 


CARE  OF  THE  HOME. 


SECTION  A. 

GENERAL    PEINCIPLES, 

1. — Good  management  of  its  property  on  the  part  of  a 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  is  not  only  a  matter  of 
economy,  but  of  example  and  influence.  There  is  also  a 
question  of  responsibility.  When  the  people  of  a  com- 
munity, in  answer  to  the  appeals  of  an  Association,  have 
placed  a  valuable  property  in  its  hands,  they  have  a  right 
to  expect  that  it  will  be  cared  for  on  true  business  prin- 
ciples. 

2. — The  direct  supervision  of  the  property  is  usually 
placed  in  the  hands  of  a  competent  and  experienced  com- 
mittee or  committees,  appointed  by  and  from  the  directors, 
or  (less  frequently)  the  trustees,  or  both.  Sub-committees 
of  one  or  two  are  often  made  responsible  for  certain 
details.  It  is  essential  that  there  be  regular  and  system- 
atic reports  from  these  committees  as  to  condition  of 
property,  work  done,  outlay  of  money,  and  other  impor- 
tant matters.  The  duties  of  the  committees  should  be 
specifically  stated,  and  other  than  routine  action  should 
be  taken  only  as  authorized  by  the  proper  board.  The 
general  secretary  will  be  expected  to  report  to  the  com- 
mittees any  matter  needing  attention  that  comes  to  his 
knowledge,  but  this  should  in  no  way  lessen  their  responsi- 
bility to  attend  personally  to  details. 


Chap.  15,  B,  2.  CARE  OF  the  home.  177 

3. — The  care  of  an  Association  building  embraces  the 
following  items: — 

a.  Finance,  including  all  matters  of  tenure,  liens  and 
mortgage  obligations,  interest,  taxes,  insurance,  leases,  and 
the  like. 

b.  Repairs  and  alterations;  and  safety,  or  the  guard- 
ing against  accident  or  damage  from  any  cause. 

c.  Order  and  cleanliness. 

Questions  of  finance  in  connection  with   a   building  are 
treated  in  chapter  19. 


SECTION  B. 

REPAIRS    AND     SAFETY. 

1. — A  competent  supervising  committee  will  provide  for 
frequent  and  thorough  inspection  of  the  building,  and  for 
immediate  attention  to  necessary  repairs.  Experience 
teaches  that  most  work  is  more  easily  and  economically 
accomplished  at  once,  while  negligence  tends  to  demoral- 
ization. In  the  model  building  broken  glass  is  at  once 
replaced,  wood  work  is  kept  bright  with  paint  or  oil,  walls 
are  not  suffered  to  grow  dingy,  a  loosened  hinge  or  broken 
bolt  is  immediately  restored,  or  the  tin  roof  is  kept  well 
painted.  A  tin  roof  aptly  illustrates  the  importance  of 
attention  to  repairs,  often  being  ruined  by  a  year's  neglect, 
but  lasting  indefinitely  with  proper  care.  A  janitor  should 
be  sought  for  possessing  enough  mechanical  capacity  to  do 
simple  fitting  and  repairs.  All  repairs  should  be  in 
keeping  with  the  building;  while  needless  expenditure  is 
avoided,  the  value  of  the  building  should  be  maintained  or 
enhanced. 

2. — Every  possible  precaution  should  be  taken  against 
fire.  Few  buildings  are  really  fireproof,  and  no  Association 
building  yet  erected  is  professedly  so.  Where  a  good 
water  service  exists  there  should  be  either  a  stand-pipe,  or 


178  CA.RE   OF  THE  HOME.  Chap.  15,  B,  3. 

some  sort  of  hose  attachment,  with  a, sufficient  amount  of 
hose  on  each  floor.  Water  pails  in  various  parts  of  the 
building,  2)rovided  they  are  kept  well  filled,  are  better 
than  nothing.  The  chemical  fire  extinguisher  is  an  efficient 
safeguard  and  should  be  found  in  every  building,  whether 
with  or  without  water  service.  It  may  often  be  the  means 
of  quenching  an  incipient  fire,  without  the  damage  to 
property  following  the  use  of  water.  The  hand  fire  grenade 
is  a  simple,  convenient,  and  reliable  form  of  the  chemical 
extinguisher,  which  may  be  thrown  ujDon  a  fire  just  start- 
ing or  will  explode  of  itself  when  exposed  to  a  sufficient 
amount  of  heat.  Such  grenades  may  Avell  be  placed,  in 
considerable  numbers,  in  all  specially  exposed  parts  of  the 
building.  All  stoves,  furnaces,  pipes,  flues,  and  the  dis- 
position of  the  ashes  should  be  carefully  looked  after. 

Oil  should  be  used  with  extreme  caution.  It  should  be 
kept  in  a  safety  tank,  and  a  metal  tray  should  be  used  in 
handling  lamps  for  filling  and  trimming.  None  of  this 
work  should  ever  be  done  by  artificial  light,  and  Avood 
work  should  never  be  allowed  to  become  saturated  with 
oil. 

All  parts  of  the  building  should  be  easily  accessible; 
the  scuttles  and,  when  necessary,  the  roofs  being  furnished 
with  stairs  or  fixed  ladders.  Ample  provision  should  also 
be  made  for  safe  and  speedy  exit  from  the  building,  espe- 
cially if  a  public  hall  be  located  on  an  upper  floor,  both 
by  broad  stairways  and  outside  fire  escapes.  These  are 
often  required  by  law. 

3. — It  is  to  be  supposed  that  in  the  construction  of  the 
building  due  precautions  have  been  taken  to  prevent 
damage  from  water,  snow,  frost,  and  wind  in  any  ordinary 
form  or  amount,  and  3^et  the  safe  plan  is  to  take  nothing 
for  granted,  and  the  careful  supervisor  will  give  his  per- 
sonal attention  to  every  such  possible  source  of  damage. 
Plumbing  requires  special  oversight,  in  order  to  guard 
against  the  stoppage  or  bursting  of  pipes,  and  the  escape 
of  sewer  gas.     The  latter  often  cannot  be  detected  by  the 


Chap.  15,  C,  3.  CARE    OF   THE   HOME.  179 

senses,  but  if  a  small  quantity  of  some  liquid  with  a  decided 
odor,  such  as  spirits  of  turpentine  or  peppermint,  is  poured 
into  water  closets  in  the  lower  part  of  the  building,  and 
the  smell  from  it  is  perceptible  in  the  stories  above,  evi- 
dently something  is  wrong.  Gas  should  be  shut  off  at 
the  meters  daily  when  not  in  use,  the  burner  stops  being 
closed  before  this  is  done.  A  thorough  airing  of  the 
various  rooms  should  always  take  place  after  using,  and  of 
the  entire  building  at  night.  Care  should  be  taken  that 
no  signs,  scuttles,  or  other  fixtures  work  loose,  or  be  left 
unfastened.  Any  weakness  of  the  building,  resulting  from 
a  crowded  hall  or  a  g^^mnasium,  should  be  noted  and 
guarded  against.  Open  windows,  which  are  too  often  the 
only  means  of  ventilation,  should  be  closed  when  any 
room  is  likely  to  be  unwatched  for  some  time,  to  provide 
against  damage  from  fire  or  storm. 


SECTio:sr  c. 

ORDER    AND    CLEANLINESS. 

1. — The  old  sayings,  ''  Order  is  heaven's  first  law,"  and 
**  Cleanliness  is  next  to  godliness,"  are  true  as  they  are 
trite.  The  plainest  rooms  if  neat  and  orderly  will  have 
a  certain  cheeriness,  while  dust  and  disorder  will  mar  the 
attractiveness  of  the  most  luxurious  home. 

2. — The  supervising  committee,  the  secretary,  and  the 
janitor  will  share  this  responsibility.  The  janitor  is  to  do 
the  detail  work,  the  secretary  is  to  see  that  it  is  done 
properly,  at  least  certain  parts  of  it,  while  the  committee 
is  back  of  and  responsible  for  all.  Much  will  depend 
upon  the  industry  and  tact  of  the  janitor.  An  Associa- 
tion should  get  the  right  man,  and  then  keep  him,  at  any 
reasonable  cost.  A  good  janitor  will  arrange  specific 
duties,  so  far  as  may  be,  for  each  hour  in  the  day,  not  in- 
terfering with  the  ordinary  use  of  the  rooms,  with  provi- 


180  CARE  OF  THE  HOME.  Chap.  15,  C,  2. 

sion  for  special  or  occasional  Avork.  Often  the  secretary, 
who  usually  has  the  direct  oversight  of  this  employe,  will 
make  out  a  daily  or  weekly  schedule  or  set  of  rules.  This 
will  be  particularly  helpful  to  a  new  or  inexperienced  man. 
An  efficient  janitor  will  want  good  tools  in  order  to  work 
to  advantage,  and  he  will  keep  them  in  good  condition 
and  in  their  proper  place — which  will  not  be  the  public 
lobbies  or  passage  ways. 

With  proper  management  the  approaches  to  the  build- 
ing will  be  kept  in  good  order,  and  the  windows  by  day 
and  the  lamps  by  night  will  give  no  dim  or  uncertain  light. 
While  the  faithful  employe  will  understand  that  the  rooms 
of  the  Association  are  designed  not  for  exhibition  but  for 
actual  and  constant  use,  he  will  be  the  sworn  enemy  of 
every  description  of  dirt  and  disorder,  and  will  never 
grow  weary — at  least  in  spirit.  There  may  be  times  when, 
from  insufficient  help  or  press  of  special  work,  things  in 
this  department  get  a  little  behind,  and  the  building  may 
not  be  as  ^presentable  as  could  be  wished,  but  there  seems 
to  be  no  excuse  for  the  very  untidy  condition  in  which 
some  Association  homes  may  frequently,  if  not  generally, 
be  found. 

Additional  hints  regarding  Association  housekeeping 
may  be  found  in  chapter  10,  B,  4. 


CIIAF»TER,   16. 
HOW  TO  GET  A  BUILDINGS' 


SECTION  A. 

PREPARATORY   WORK. 

1. — The  Association  must  deserve  a  building.  There 
must  be  a  strong  organization,  able  and  experienced  offi- 
cers in  whom  the  community  has  confidence,  and  com- 
mittees that  do  their  work.  The  financial  management 
must  be  such  that  the  people  will  not  be  afraid  to  enlarge 
the  trust.  The  work  must  be  *' all-sided/'  and  measure 
up  to  the  full  capacity  of  the  society  and  the  means  at  its 
disposal. 

2. — There  must  be  desire.  ISTot  only  the  officers  but 
the  members  generally  must  so  appreciate  the  need  of  a 
building  as  to  loaoit  it.  As  this  feeling  grows  in  the 
hearts  of  Christian  men,  it  will  lead  naturally  to  another 
step : 

3. — Prayer.  Whatever  Christians  need,  tliey  have  the 
right  to  pray  for.  And  what  can  be  more  reasonable  than 
to  ask  for  the  very  best  facilities  with  which  to  do  the 
Master's  work  ?  Prayer  is  one  of  the  first  and  essential 
foundations  of  every  such  building. 

4. — The  members  of  the  Association  must  believe  in  the 
building,  exercising  that  faith  which  is  '* evidence"  and 
"substance."     The  building  must  be  such  a  real  thing  in 

*  "  How  to  secure  a  College  Association  building,"  Int,  pph.  No.  303.  gives  many 
luterestiug  details,  and  should  be  read  iu  connection  with  this  chapter, 


182  now  TO  GET  A  BUILDING.      Chap.  16,  A,  5. 

their  hearts  and  minds,  that  their  enthusiasm  shall  inspire 
all  with  whom  they  come  in  contact. 

6. — Instruction.  The  public,  probably  the  membership, 
requires  information  on  the  subject.  It  may  even  be 
necessary  to  educate  the  directors  themselves  up  to  the 
point  of  realizing  the  need  and  possibility  of  a  permanent 
Association  home.  Printed  matter  can  be  used  to  advan- 
tage. *  The  attendance  of  influential  members  at  conven- 
tions will  be  very  hel]3ful,  especially  if  these  are  held  at 
places  having  Association  buildings.  Members  visiting 
such  places  should  be  supplied  with  letters  of  introduction 
to  the  secretaries  located  there,  with  an  urgent  request 
that  they  carefully  inspect  the  buildings.  Pictures  of 
such  buildings  should  be  placed  in  the  rooms.  An  album 
may  be  easily  filled  with  cuts  taken  from  the  Year  Books 
and  other  Association  j)ublications.  The  International 
Committee  and  several  State  Committees  have  stereopticon 
views  of  many  buildings,  which  they  loan  to  Associations 
with  little  or  no  charge.  These  aid  in  making  a  talk 
on  the  subject  instructive  and  entertaining.  A  public 
sentiment  can  be  created  by  a  free  use  of  the  pen. 
The  press  is  generally  ready  to  aid  in  this.  Short  and 
frequent  articles  are  best,  and  the  constantly  recurring 
items  regarding  dedications,  the  laying  of  corner-stones, 
and  generous  gifts  can  be  collated  and  inserted  in  the 
papers  in  such  manner  as  to  attract  attention.  The  various 
gatherings  of  the  Association  can  be  used  to  disseminate 
further  information  with  regard  to  this  important  feature 
and  its  marvelous  growth. 

6. — When  an  Association  has  taken  the  foregoing  steps, 
it  is  ready  for  the  next,  that  of  practical  agitation.  Both 
the  need  and  practicability  of  the  movement  must  be 
demonstrated.  Generally  the  board  of  directors  will  first 
consider  these  questions,  and  resolve  on  a  certain  line  of 
action.     This  will  afterwards  be  considered  in  meetings  of 

*  International  Pamphlets  Nos.  9,  558,  570,  579,  580,  597  and  603  will  be  especially 
helpful. 


Chap.  16,  A,  8.      HOW  to  get  a  BUiLDiNa.  183 

the  Association,  and  later  in  still  more  public  gatherings. 
The  pastors  will  be  consulted,  for  their  co-operation  is 
essential.  Leading  business  men,  expected  to  be  in 
sympathy  with  the  movement,  are  also  to  be  advised  with 
early  ;  this  is  both  courteous  and  politic.  The  press  will 
be  found  still  more  willing  to  assist,  as  it  assumes  the 
shape  of  a  definite  local  enterprise. 

7. — A  building  fund  may  be  started,  sometimes  years 
in  advance,  and  serve  not  only  as  an  educator,  but  as  a 
sort  of  wedge,  ready  for  the  strong  blow  which  shall 
finally  accomplish  the  full  purpose.  Such  a  fund  may  be 
founded  by  a  bequest,  or  by  the  proceeds  of  some  enter- 
tainment given  or  set  aside  for  such  purpose.  A  nucleus 
once  formed  invites  further  gifts  and  ajDpropriations. 
Persons  will  often  make  a  donation  or  bequest  to  such  a 
fund  who  would  never  give,  nor  be  expected  to  give,  any 
considerable  amount  for  current  expenses. 

8. — The  la.st  preparatory  step  to  be  noted,  and  a  most 
important  one,  is  the  purchase  of  a  building  lot.  Such 
action  on  the  part  of  an  Association  indicates  a  purpose  to 
become  a  permanent  resident,  and  secures  for  it  a  new 
standing  among  business  men.  In  most  cities  and  towns 
eligible  sites  are  not  always  available,  and  land  is  con- 
stantly advancing  in  price.  In  new  towns,  especially,  the 
cash  value  of  a  lot  often  increases  one  hundred,  or  perhaps 
five  hundred,  per  cent,  in  a  few  years.  Associations  are 
thus  obliged  to  pay  thousands  of  dollars  for  land  that 
might  a  little  while  before  have  been  bought  for  a  few 
hundreds.  With  present  knowledge  and  experience,  no 
Association  should  neglect  the  first  favorable  opportunity 
to  secure  for  itself  an  eligible  and  roomy  building  site. 
That  must  be  a  dull  town  in  which  the  venture  Avill  not  pay 
simply  as  an  investment,  and  if,  when  the  society  is  ready 
to  build,  the  location  prove  undesirable,  an  exchange  can 
be  aifected,  often  to  the  financial  advantage  of  the  Asso- 
ciation. 


¥f 


184  JSOW  TO  GET  A  BUILDING.        Chap.  16,  B,  1. 

SECTION  B. 

PLAN    OF    A    CANVASS.* 

1. — The  board  of  directors  may  appoint  a  committee 
composed  of  prominent  business  men,  who  can  be  heartily 
interested  in  the  project,  to  supervise  the  canvass  and  to 
secure  large  initial  subscriptions.  Sometimes  gentlemen 
who  are  not  members  of  the  Association  will  render 
valuable  service  on  this  committee.  A  few  large  sub- 
scriptions are  almost  indispensable.  One  subscription  of 
one-tenth  of  the  whole  amount  needed,  made  at  the  start, 
would  almost  insure  success. 

2. — Secure  a  complete  list  of  persons  who  can  contribute 
large  amounts,  to  be  thoughtfully  assigned  among  the 
members  of  the  above  committee,  each  member  becoming 
responsible  for  those  whom  he  can  most  readily  approach. 
This  can  generally  be  best  done  in  a  full  meeting  of  the 
committee.  The  city  directory,  the  names  of  pew  holders 
in  churches,  of  contributors  to  benevolent  enterj)rises,  etc., 
may  be  consulted  in  the  preparation  of  the  list. 

3. — Soon  after  the  above  committee  has  made  a  fair 
beginning,  organize  an  auxiliary  committee  of  young  men 
and  active  business  men  for  a  general  canvass. 

4. — Each  canvasser  needs  a  pocket  subscription  book, 
with  sei3arate  pages  for  different  amounts,  or,  what  is 
better,  a  package  of  pledge  cards.  (See  appendix,  sample 
No.  10.)  When  using  the  latter  he  will  show  only  such 
cards  as  are  expected  to  stimulate  liberal  gifts.  But 
when  an  expected  contributor  looks  over  the  entire  list  in 
a  book,  there  is  danger  of  his  putting  himself  among  those 
who  give  small  sums,  without  reference  to  his  financial 
ability.  A  subscriber  should  fill  out  duplicate  cards,  re- 
taining one  as  a  memorandum  of  the  obligation.  Each 
canvasser  should  report  new  subscriptions  promptly  to 
some  designated  person,  who  should  furnish  in  return  daily 

*  Int.  pph.  No,  586  corresponds  closely  to  this  section. 


chap.  16,  B,  8.        HOW  to  get  A  BUILDING-.  18S 

reports  of  all  such  subscriptions  to  each  canvasser.  If  any 
givers  prefer  to  be  anonymous,  their  wishes  should  be 
respected  and  their  gifts  announced  as  from  "A  friend,'' 
"Cash,"  etc.  Some  further  suggestions  regarding  solicita- 
tion are  given  in  chapter  18,  3. 

5. — Organize  a  committee  of  young  men  within  the 
Association,  to  canvass  the  membership  and  young  men  of 
the  city.  Where  the  enterprise  has  taken  any  deep  hold, 
they  will  be  ready  to  make  sacrifices  in  the  interest  of  the 
building,  and  their  gifts  will  surprise  and  often  shame  the 
older  men. 

6. — Rely  upon  these  solicitors,  rather  than  upon  outside 
help.  The  International  and  State  Secretaries,  who  are 
often  called  ujpon  for  aid  in  such  matters,  are  busy  men, 
having  time  for  extreme  cases  only.  Men  of  the  locality 
make  the  best  solictors,  if  they  throw  their  energy  and 
tact  into  the  undertaking,  and  such  labor  on  their  part  will 
lead  them  to  take  an  interest,  for  years  to  come,  in  the 
work  done  at  the  building. 

7. — Arrange  the  terms  of  subscription  judiciously. 
Sometimes  these  make  each  subscription  absolute  and 
unconditional.  In  general,  however,  people  prefer  to  give 
somewhat  in  proportion  to  the  sum  to  be  raised,  and  often 
the  necessity  of  reaching  a  given  amount  before  the  sub- 
scription becomes  binding  will  be  an  incentive  to  both  the 
giver  and  the  solicitor.  If  such  an  amount  is  specified,  it 
should  not  be  too  small  a  proportion  of  Avhat  will  be  finally 
required.  Neither  ought  it  to  be  so  large  as  to  endanger 
failure,  or  to  needlessly  embarrass  the  building  committee 
in  beginning  operations,  for  it  is  not  always  best  to  wait 
until  the  entire  amount  is  raised  before  starting  the  build- 
ing. If  a  lot  is  bought  and  the  building  begun,  giving 
may  be  stimulated. 

8. — Do  not  extend  the  payments  of  the  subscriptions 
over  too  long  a  period.  Building  operations  cannot  go  on 
steadily  without  money,  and  this,  if  not  due  from  sub- 
scriptions, must  be  borrowed  on  interest.     Subscriptions 


186  HOW  TO  GET  A  BUlLDlJs^G.        Chap.  16,  B,  9. 

may  be  made  payable  within  a  year,  and  it  is  desirable 
that  they  should  not  run  much  beyond  the  intended 
completion  of  the  building.  The  payments  are  sometimes 
made  as  follows:  the  first  when  ground  is  broken,  the 
second  when  the  building  is  inclosed,  and  the  third  when 
it  is  finished.  And  yet  some  givers  can  and  will  contribute 
much  more  largely  if  the  payments  extend  over  a  longer 
period,  and  the  plan  should  be  sufficiently  elastic  to  meet 
their  circumstances. 

9. — Get  a  leading  citizen  to  invite  men  of  means,  in  his 
own  name,  to  attend  a  reception  at  his  house,  where  the 
uses,  value,  and  need  of  an  Association  building  will  be 
presented  by  competent  speakers  from  the  city  itself  or 
from  abroad.  Generally  the  invitation  should  mention 
that  there  will  be  no  solicitation  of  funds  during  the 
evening.     (See  Chap.  20,  C.) 

10. — Send  a  letter  showing  the  needs  of  the  organization 
and  the  advantages  of  a  building  to  persons  who  can  make 
large  subscriptions,  a  day  or  two  before  calling  on  them. 

11. — Secure  from  interested  pastors  pulpit  indorsement 
in  sermons  or  in  brief  expressions  of  commendation,  and 
remembrance  in  church  prayer  meetings. 

12. — Make  constant  systematic  use  of  the  press  in 
arousing  public  sentiment  by  *' locals,"  letters,  and  edi- 
torial utterances.  Descriptions  (with  pictures)  of  Associa- 
tion buildings,  or  of  the  progress  of  building  movements, 
are  effective. 

13. — Distribute  freely  and  judiciously  printed  matter 
regarding  Association  work,  wbich  can  be  obtained  from 
the  International  Committee.     (See  foot  note,  sect.  A,  5. ) 

14. — Place  pictures  and  plans  of  the  proposed  building 
in  store  windows  and  other  conspicuous  places.  (Photo- 
graph from  the  architect's  designs. ) 

15. — Appoint  sub-committees  of  the  auxiliary  committee 
to  solicit  among  their  associates  in  stores,  offices,  mills, 
and  other  places  where  considerable  numbers  of  young  men 
are  employed. 


Chap.  16,  B,  22.     how  To  get  a  building.  187 

16. — After  a  substantial  beginning  of  the  canvass  it 
may  be  well  to  secure  organized  help  from  the  ladies  in 
canvassing  for  a  '*  mothers',  wives',  and  sisters'  fund." 

17. — Put  subscrijDtion  papers,  with  printed  headings,  in 
newspaper  offices,  stores,  and  other  public  places,  at  a 
stage  of  the  canvass  when  the  larger  gifts  are  not  likely 
to  be  reduced  by  so  doing. 

18. — Hold  joint  meetings  of  all  the  committees  at  private 
houses,  at  intervals  of  from  three  to  seven  days,  to  report 
results  of  the  canvass,  to  plan  for  further  work,  and  to 
promote  enthusiasm  regarding  it.  It  will  often  be  helj^f ul 
to  invite  all  persons  interested  to  attend  these  conferences. 
This  can  be  done  through  pulpit  or  newspaper  notices,  and 
through  invitations  sent  by  mail. 

19. — Publish  new  subscriptions  in  the  daily  papers  the 
day  following  each  conference. 

20. — One  man  should  bear  to  the  movement  the  rela- 
tion which  a  general  secretary  bears  to  the  entire  work  of 
an  Association,  seeing  that  details  are  promptly  carried 
out  and  that  everyone  who  engages  in  the  work  dis- 
charges his  share  of  it  thoroughly.  Unless  some  quali- 
fied member  of  the  Association  can  take  this  responsible 
position  as  a  volunteer,  it  should  be  occupied  by  the 
general  secretary  or  by  a  person  temporarily  employed  for 
this  purpose. 

21. — A  heavy  debt  should  not  be  left  on  the  building. 
Of  course  every  effort  should  be  made  to  dedicate  it 
free  from  debt,  but  this  cannot  always  be  done.  If  there 
is  to  be  an  income  from  the  building  sufficient  to  care  for  all 
real  estate  expenses,  including  interest  on  mortgage,  there 
ought  to  be  no  serious  danger,  yet  even  in  such  case  the 
debt  should  rarely  exceed  one-fourth  of  the  entire  cost. 

22. — When  a  debt  is  unavoidable,  a  sinking  fund  should 
be  provided  for  its  gradual  extinction,  no  matter  on  how 
small  a  scale.  The  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  the 
burden  is  lessening,  even  if  slowly,  lubricates  the  whole 
working  machinery. 


188  HOW  TO  GET  A  BUILDING.       Cliap.  16,  B,  S3. 

23. — But  a  mere  formal  following  of  this  plan  will 
avail  little.  Everything  depends  upon  the  tact,  energy, 
Christian  enthusiasm,  faith,  and  prayer  with  which  the 
plan  is  worked  and  adjusted  to  local  requirements 

24. — A  letter  like  the  folowing  has  been  used  success- 
fully by  the  committee  on  initial  subscriptions: — 

Dear  Sir:  At  a  conference  of  gentlemen  held  in  tliis  city  a  short 
time  since,  after  a  full  discussion  of  the  social  and  moral  condition 
of  the  young  men  in  our  city  and  of  their  needs,  it  was  unani- 
mously resolved,  "  that  the  time  has  arrived  for  erecting  a  building 
in  tliis  city  for  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  to  cost  not 

less  than dollars."    The  undersigned,  who  were  present,  were 

appointed  a  committee  to  secure  the  initial  subscriptions  towards 
the  object. 

This  committee  desires  in  this  connection  to  submit  to  you  the 
following  facts: — 

The  Association  is  carrying  on  its  work  in  rented  rooms,  which 
have  become  wholly  inadequate  for  its  growing  needs.     Here  it 

has  presented  counter  attractions  to  the liquor  shops  and 

other  places  of  vicious  resort  in  the  city.  By  its  library  and  read- 
ing room  ;  its  parlor  ;  its  gymnasium  for  exercise  and  health  ;  its 
educational  night  classes,  for  the  practical  benefit  of  the  clerk  and 
the  mechanic  ;  its  concerts  and  socials  ;  its  lectures,  medical, 
literary,  and  educational ;  its  employment  bureau  ;  its  register  of 
desirable  boarding  houses;  its  arrangements  for  the  care  of  the  sick; 
all  carried  on  by  organized  volunteer  committees  of  young  men, 
and  under  Christian  influence,  this  Association  has  demonstrated 
its  right  to  be  placed  among  the  permanent  institutions  of 
the  city. 

This  great  work  for  tlie young  men  of  this  city  can  no 

longer  be  accommodated  in  any  rented  apartments.  The  depart- 
ments of  work  conflict  with  each  other  in  the  hmited  room 
now  available,  and  a  building  must  be  had  or  the  work  will 
retrograde. 

In  other  American  cities,  North,  South,  East,  and  West,  there 

are  such  buildings,   erected  for  the  purpose  by  Christian 

philanthropy  and  business    sagacity,   at    a  cost  of million 

dollars,  which  have  been  pronounced  by  the  best  social  economists 
and  business  men  invaluable  in  their  moral  and  educational  effects. 
The  smaller  cities  and  towns  have  fully  kept  pace  with  the  larger 

ones  in  this  matter.     of  these  ranging  in  population  from  800 

to  30,000,   have  buildings  valued  at  § .     Among  them  are 


Chap.  16,  B,  24.     HOW  TO  get  A  building.  189 

Merrimac,  Mass.  (population  2,600),  with  a  building  valued  at 
.$10,000  ;  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa.  (population  7,000),  building  $22,500  ; 
Bristol,  Tenn.  (population  8,000),  building  $14,700  ;  Staunton,  Va. 
(population  10,000),  building  $35,000 ;  Selma,  Ala.  (population 
12,000),  building  $30,000  ;  Charlotte,  N.  C.  (population  13,000), 
building  $30,000  ;  and  New  Britain,  Conn,  (population  19,000), 
building  $54,000.     This  building  movement  is  now  spreading  more 

rapidly  than  ever  before.     Some buildings  are  now  in  course 

of  construction.     Among  these  are  the  following: — 

The  permanent  usefulness  of  this  investment  of  capital  is  guaran- 
teed to  the  subscribers  by  the  fact  that  the  property  will  be  held  in 
perpetual  trust  by  the  following  board  of  well-known  citizens: — 

The  building  will  be  fully  equipped  to  carry  on  the  varied  work 
already  described. 

After  a  careful  study  of  other  buildings  recently  erected  for  the 
same  purpose,  an  effort  will  be  made  to  embody  their  good  points 
in  this  one. 

While  the  members  will  enjoy  special  privileges  and  advantages 
at  a  moderate  fee,  the  building  will  be  opened  with  a  genuine 
hospitality  to  all  young  men. 

One  gentleman  in  this  city,  w^ho  has  its  welfare  at  heart,  has 
given  — -  dollars  toward  this  object.  In  order  to  raise  so  large  a 
sum  as  is  proposed,  we  venture  to  express  the  hope  that  subscrip- 
tions of  like  amount  may  be  received  from  those  who  have  im- 
portant vested  interests  in  this  city,  and  who  bear  that  responsibil- 
ity toward  the  community  which  wealth  brings. 

Such  contributions  will,  we  are  sure,  open  the  way  for  a  multi- 
tude of  smaller  gifts  wliich  will  readily  swell  the  total  to  the  sum 
needed. 

The  payment  of  subscriptions  may  be  made  to  extend  over  a 
period  of  two  years.  Subscriptions  will  become  binding  when 
$ have  been  pledged. 

Knowing  your  interest  in  all  that  concerns  the  progress  of  our 

city,  we  submit  these  facts  for  your  thoughtful  and  intelligent 

consideration.     Some  representative  of  the  committee  will  soon 

call  upon  you,  and  we  trust  that  we  may  receive  your  liberal  aid. 

(Signed  by  the  members  of  the  committee.) 

In  another  city  a  letter  similar  to  the  above  was  accompanied  by 
the  following,  signed  by  all  the  Protestant  pastors: — 

"  We  heartily  sympathize  with  the  efforts  of  the  Young  Men's 
Clu'istian  Association  to  secure  a  building  specially  adapted  to  its 
requirements,  believing  that  the  efficiency  of  its  work  in  behalf  of 
young  men  would  be  greatly  increased  thereby." 


190  HOW  TO   GET  A  BUILDING.         Chap.  16,  C,  1. 

SECTION  C. 

HINTS    AND    CAUTIONS. 

In  beginning  a  building  enterprise  an  Association 
enters  untried  ground  and  encounters  many  and  new 
difficulties.  A  few  practical  suggestions  gathered  from 
the  experience  of  those  who  have  passed  through  the 
ordeal  are  placed  as  cautionary  signals  for  those  that  are 
to  follow. 

1. — Do  not  neglect  the  regular  work.  There  is  danger 
that  the  new  enterprise  so  absorb  the  thought  and  atten- 
tion of  the  workers  that  the  all-imj^ortant  routine  of 
Association  work,  which  has  been  built  wp  with  so  much 
effort,  suffer  through  neglect.  The  expected  impetus  from 
the  new  building  will  doubtless  come,  but  it  will  not 
comj^ensate  for  losses  caused  by  carelessness.  ''Do  not 
rob  the  structure  itself  to  get  material  for  the  scaffolding." 

2. — Look  out  for  current  exjDcnses.  This  caution  is  akin 
to  the  preceding  one,  but  touches  the  business  side. 
Neglect  right  here  has  often  been  all  but  fatal;  the  organ- 
ization Avith  its  new  facilities  and  eager  anticipations  find- 
ing itself  burdened  with  current  debt,  and  without  means 
to  take  full  advantage  of  its  splendid  opportunities.  The 
regular  finances  of  the  Association  should  be  kept  well  up, 
even  if  the  walls  of  the  new  home  rise  more  slowly  to 
completion. 

o. — Do  not  allow  the  idea  to  prevail  that  the  building, 
even  if  unencumbered,  Avill  render  the  Association  finan- 
cially indej^endent.  People  have  strange  notions  about 
Association  finances,  and  sometimes  seem  to  expect  that 
the  income  from  two  or  three  rented  stores  in  the  new 
building  will  suffice  for  current  support.  The  possession 
of  a  building  brings  with  it  many  new  items  of  expense  to 
offset  the  single  saving  in  the  matter  of  rent.  Supervision, 
repairs,  taxes,  and  insurance  often  absorb  the  income  from 
such  portion  of  the  building  as  can  be  spared  for  rental^ 


Chap.  16.  C,  4.       HOW  to  get  a  building.  191 

while  that  derived  from  the  influx  of  new  members  is 
always  less,  at  the  necessarily  low  fees,  than  the  expense 
of  the  advantages  offered  them. 

But  aside  from  this  it  is  doubtful  if  a  full  endowment 
would  be  best.  There  is  a  peculiar  and  vital  connection 
between  the  heart  and  the  pocket,  and  often  a  man 
maintains  an  interest  in  that  for  which  he  contributes, 
while  if  he  were  not  obliged  to  give  he  would  soon  forget 
it.  The  time  may  never  come  when  people  will  not  be 
asked  to  give  towards  the  support  of  this  institution  ;  and 
while  the  possession  of  a  building  may  include  among  its 
many  advantages  that  of  a  partial  endowment,  lessen- 
ing the  amount  to  be  secured  by  voluntary  gifts,  the 
people  should  understand  definitely  that  their  financial 
obligations  towards  the  Association  are  not  to  cease  with 
the  payment  of  a  building  subscription. 

4. — Provide  for  the  safe  holding  of  the  property.  Select 
a  strong  board  of  trustees,  men  in  whose  integrity  and 
business  competency  the  community  Avill  have  perfect 
confidence.  Have  all  matters  of  title  and  conveyance 
attended  to  by  men  of  thorough  legal  ability,  so  that  the 
the  charter  rights  of  the  Association  and  the  status  of  its 
board  of  trustees  may  be  assured. 


CHAPTER.    17. 

THE  BUILDING   MOVEMENTS 


The  building  known  as  Farwell  Hall  was  dedicated  by 
the  Chicago  Association,  September  29,  1867.  It  was 
named  in  honor  of  John  V.  Farwell,  a  leading  dry  goods 
merchant  of  that  city,  who  gave  in  money  and  land 
towards  the  enterprise  the  sum  of  $60,000.  This  building 
was  destroyed  by  fire,  January  7,  1868  ;  and  a  second 
building  erected  on  the  same  spot  was  burned  in  the  great 
Chicago  fire,  October  9,  1871.  A  third  building  was 
dedicated  November  26,  1874.  The  cost  of  the  first 
property  was  $190,000. 

The  year  following  the  erection  of  the  first  Chicago 
building,  the  Philadelj^hia  Association  purchased  a  build- 
ing for  $35,000,  and  occupied  it  till  the  centennial  year, 
1876,  when  it  was  superseded  by  the  fine  structure  on 
Chestnut  and  Fifteenth  streets,  costing  half  a  million. 

In  1869  the  1^3'ew  York  Association  erected  its  Twenty- 

*  This  Bketch  relates  only  to  the  buildings  now  owned  and  occupied  for  Associa- 
tion purposes,  together  with  buildings  which  have  preceded  thom  in  the  same 
Associations.  A  comparison  of  tlie  lists  of  buildings  in  recent  Year  Books  with 
earlier  ones  shows  the  disappearance  of  a  number  of  nsmes.  It  is  probable  that  in 
many  cases  these  were  not  properly  Association  buildings,  or  that  the  ownership 
was  merely  nominal.  In  some  instances  the  building  was  owned  by  a  joint  stock 
company,  the  Association  itself  having  but  a  limited  money  interest  in  the  concern, 
and  soon  losing  that,  together  with  the  occupancy  of  the  building.  Thus  page 
xxxix  of  the  Year  Book  for  1873  contains  a  list  of  38  buildings.  But  in  these  early 
lists  all  buildings  owned  by  Associations  were  included,  whether  used  for  distinctiv- 
ely Association  pui-poses  or  not.  This  is  not  now  done.  After  deducting  from  the 
list  for  1873  8  chapels  and  14  of  such  uncertain  tenure  that  they  soon  disapi^eared 
from  the  reports,  but  6  of  the  number  ever  recovering  either  a  name  or  a  building, 
it  is  reduced  from  38  to  16.  The  building  tables  in  the  Year  Books  give  many 
interesting  facts  on  this  subject,  especially  the  chronological  table  ou  page  96  of  the 
Year  Book  for  1890.  -  - 


Chap.  17.  THE  BUILDING   MOVEMENT.  193 

third  street  building  at  a  cost  of  $487,000,  San  Francisco 
built  at  an  expense  of  $76,000,  and  New  Utrecht,  a  New 
York  village  of  but  750  population,  purchased  a  building 
for  its  Association  costing  $3,000. 

After  the  interval  of  a  year,  the  only  such  in  the  history 
of  the  movement,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1871,  purchased  a 
building  for  $22,000,  and  after  occupying  it  for  ten  years 
purchased  another  for  $60,000.  Ten  years  later  the  Asso- 
ciation entered  its  third  building,  costing  $230,000.  Three 
other  Associations  also  came  into  possession  of  permanent 
homes  in  1871,  Indianapolis  purchasing  for  $28,500,  New 
Brunswick,  N.  J.,  for  $10,000,  and  Aurora,  111.,  building 
at  a  cost  of  $10,000.  Indianapolis  has  lately  rebuilt,  its 
present  property  being  valued  at  $96,000,  andNewBruns- 
wich  has  greatly  enlarged  its  building. 

Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  in  1872,  bought  and  fitted  up  a 
property  at  an  expense  of  about  $46,000,  and  Charlotte- 
town,  P.  E.  L,  had  the  honor  of  erecting  the  first  build- 
ing on  Britivsh  American  territory,  at  an  expense  of 
$14,000. 

The  year  1873  added  five  more  to  the  list,  Boston 
purchasing  for  $126,000,  and  Germantown,  Pa.,  for  $49,- 
000;  while  Toronto,  Montreal,  and  St.  John,  N.  B.,  erected 
buildings  at  a  cost  respectively  of  $48,000,  $67,000  and 
$42,000.  The  Boston  Association  removed,  in  1883,  to  its 
new  building  on  the  Back  Bay,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $300,- 
000.  Toronto  in  1887  dedicated  a  new  building  costing 
$90,000.     Montreal  entered  a  new  building  in  1891. 

Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  two  Nova  Scotia  Associations, 
Halifax  and  Truro,  followed  in  1874.  The  two  latter 
built  at  a  respective  cost  of  $36,000  and  $13,000,  and  the 
former  purchased  for  $40,000.  Cincinnati  entered  anew 
building  in  1891. 

In  1875  Port  Hope  and  Brantford,  both  Canadian 
Associations,  erected  buildings,  the  first  costing  $6,500, 
the  second  $23,000,  and  the  Dayton,  Ohio,  Association 
purchased  and  fitted  for  its  use  a  property  at  an  expense 


194  THE  BUILDIJNG  MOVEMENT.  Chap.  17. 

of  125,000.  Dayton  completed  in  1887  a  new  building 
valued  at  $80,000. 

One  building  only  was  added  to  the  list  in  1876,  which 
was  erected  at  Nahant,  a  small  seaside  town  of  Massa- 
chusetts, at  an  expense  of  $1,400. 

This  record  of  the  first  decade  of  the  building  era  has 
been  given  somewhat  in  detail,  in  order  to  show  the  be- 
ginning and  early  growth  of  this  important  feature  of  the 
Association  movement  on  this  continent.  It  would  be  of 
additional  interest  could  the  fuller  history  of  some  of  these 
buildings  be  traced  from  the  germ  thought  in  the  mind  of 
some  earnest,  far-seeing  worker,  through  the  incipient 
stages  of  planning  and  agitation,  to  the  active  operation 
and  completion  of  the  scheme.  What  earnest  desire  and 
faithful  prayer,  what  purpose  a,nd  labor  and  sacrifice, 
rest  under  the  corner-stone  and  enter  as  really  into 
the  structure  of  many  a  building  as  do  the  stone  and 
brick  and  timber  !  But  such  records  were  kept  by  unseen 
hands. 

Since  1876  the  following  buildings  have  been  erected  or 
purchased.  The  figures  given  in  a  second  line  under  some 
of  the  years  indicate  the  value  of  additions  made  in  those 
years  to  buildings  previously  erected,  together  with  the 
excess  of  value  of  later  buildings  over  those  jireceding 
them  in  the  same  Associations.  These  figures  should 
\  e  added  to  those  in  the  line  above  to  get  the  complete 
figures  for  any  year. 


Chap.  17. 


THE  BUILDING  MOVEMENT. 


195 


Year. 

No. 

Cost. 

Estimated  Value  in 
1890. 

1877 

5 

$373,500 

$380,000 

1878 

4 

24,500 

28,000 

1879 

2 

28,000 

50,000 

1880 

4 

64,300 

62,700 

1881 

6 

112,400 

138,500 

38,000 

63,000 

1882 

7 

125,900 

178,000 

1883 

6 

77,300 

107,000 

154,000 

154,000 

1884 

10 

261,300 

310,850 

32,800 

47,500 

1885 

10 

555,400 

615,250 

34,500 

41,500 

1886 

21 

248,310 

311,050 

15,500 

16,500 

1887 

24 

821,675 

1,012,825 

181,800 

181,800  , 

1888 

27 

840,650 

1,022,600 

1889 

38 

1,048,900 

1,197,350 

71,600 

71,600 

1890 

31 

864,660 

987,600 

14.250 

14,250 

1891 

16 

272,250 

291,250 

To  June 

198,500 

258,500 

The  list  for  1878  includes  the  first  Railroad  Association 
building,  erected  at  "West  Detroit.  In  1879  the  first 
College  Association  building  was  erected  at  Princeton, 
through  the  bequest  of  Hamilton  Murray,  of  New  York, 
a  recent  graduate,  who  was  lost  on  the  '^  Ville-du-Havi'e." 
In  1884  the  New  York  City  Association  purchased  for  its 
German  branch  the  first  building  occupied  by  this  depart- 
ment. The  Colored  Association  at  Richmond,  Va.,  took 
possession  of  a  building  in  1889. 

Several  instances  have  occurred,  and  they  are  happily 
becoming  more  frequent  of  late,  in  which  a  building  has 
been  erected  or  bequeathed  by  a  single  individual.  The 
Princeton  building  was  the  first.     The  following  year  Dr. 


196  THE  BUILDII^a   MOVEMENT.  Chap.  17. 

Henry  Foster,  of  Clifton  Springs,  N.  Y. ,  a  village  of  but 
1,500  population,  erected  for  the  Association  of  that  j^lace 
a  building  costing  112,000. 

In  1882  John  Sherman,  of  Watertown,  N.  Y.,  bequeathed 
to  the  Association  there  the  building  in  which  its  rooms 
were  located,  estimated  at  $40,000. 

In  1884-5  Prof.  Henry  Fairbanks,  of  St.  Johnsbury, 
Vt.,  donated  to  the  Association  there  property  valued  at 
$40,000. 

The  building  of  the  Brooklyn  Association,  erected  in 
1885  at  a  cost  of  $250,000,  was  given  by  the  residuary 
legatees  of  Frederick  Marquand. 

Ira  D.  Sankey,  in  1886,  erected  and  equipped,  at  an 
expense  of  $33,500,  an  Association  building  for  his  native 
town,  New  Castle,  Pa. 

The  building  of  the  Association  at  Yale  University, 
costing  with  its  furniture  $60,000,  was  given  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Elbert  B.  Monroe,  of  New  York  City,  in  the  name 
Frederick  Marquand. 

At  Albany,  N.  Y.  (the  gift  being  conditioned  on  the 
furnishing  of  a  lot  by  the  citizens),  J.  B.  Jermain  erected 
a  building  at  an  expense  of  $75,000,  which  was  dedicated 
in  the  fall  of  1887.  In  the  same  year  Cornelius  Vander- 
bilt  completed,  at  an  expense  of  $183,000,  a  building 
which,  although  not  held  as  the  property  of  the  New 
York  City  Association,  is  devoted  to  the  use  of  its  railroad 
branch. 

In  1889  a  building,  costing  $25,000,  was  jn-esented  to 
the  Association  at  Hamilton  College,  Clinton,  N.  Y.,  by 
H.  B.  Silliman,  of  Cohoes,  N.  Y. 

In  the  same  year  *' Barnes  Hall"  Avas  dedicated  at 
Cornell  University.  The  late  A.  S.  Barnes,  of  Brooklyn, 
gave  $45, 000  of  the  amount  needed  to  erect  the  building. 
His  gift  was  influenced  by  the  self-sacrificing  example  of 
the  students,  who  contributed  in  a  few  months  nearly 
$10,000. 

Early  in  1890  Eugene  Levering,  of  Baltimore,  presented 


Chap.  17.  THE  BUILDING  MOVEMENT.  197 

a  building,  costing  $20, 000,  to  the  Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity Association. 

Mrs.  George  H.  Corliss,  of  Providence,  in  1891,  gave  a 
building  valued  at  $38,000  to  the  Newburyport,  Mass., 
Association,  as  a  memorial  of  her  husband. 

A  building  is  in  the  course  of  erection  at  Glens  Falls, 
iST.  Y.,  through  the  gift  of  $50,000  from  Jones  Ordway,  of 
that  place. 

According  to  the  Year  Book  for  1891  buildings  were 
owned  by  231  Associations,  with  an  estimated  value  of 
$9,946,085.  Deducting  the  indebtedness  which  is  not 
provided  for,  amounting  to  $1,488,5T0,  there  remained  as 
the  net  value  of  building  property  in  the  hands  of 
the  American  Associations  in  1891  the  sum  of  $8,457,515; 
while  other  real  estate,  consisting  of  building  lots,  chapels, 
etc.,  was  held  by  them  to  the  value  of  $2,180,025.  At 
the  same  date  they  had  building  funds  amounting  to 
$1,825,055.* 

*  Further  details  regarding  College  Association  buildings  are  given  in  Int.  pph. 
No.  302 


THIRD  DIVISION, 
METHODS  OF  WOKK. 


CURRENT  FINANCES. 


SECTION  A. 

WAYS    AND    MEANS. 

1. — The  Annual  Budget. — Either  before  or  immediately 
after  the  annual  meeting  the  finance  committee  should 
prepare  as  accurate  an  estimate  as  possible  of  the  receipts 
and  expenditures  for  the  coming  year.  The  trustees  fore- 
cast the  net  income  from  the  building  or  from  any  funds 
in  their  charge,  and  the  proper  committees  estimate  the 
receipts  from  membership  fees  and  other  sources;  each  de- 
partment expending  money  states  the  sum  needed  by  itf 
and  after  careful  examination  and  revision  a  budget  is 
agreed  upon,  showing  the  necessary  expenses,  the  reliable 
income,  and  any  additional  amount  to  be  raised.  A 
new  organization  may  be  guided  by  the  estimates  of  an 
Association  doing  a  work  similar  to  that  proposed.  The 
appropriation  for  each  fund  or  purpose  should  be  stated 
definitely  and  in  sufficient  detail,  and  it  should  be  under- 
stood that  expenditures  must  be  kept  within  the  prescribed 
limits.  Additional  expenditure  during  the  year  should 
only  be  made  after  the  decision  of  the  board  that  enlarge- 
ment of  the  work  is  called  for  and  that  money  for  it  can 


Chap.  18,  A,  2.  CURRENT  FINANCES.  190 

be  secured.  Any  necessary  curtailment  sliould  be  made  at 
the  beginning  of  the  year.  A  healthy  work,  however, 
will  call  rather  for  an  increased  amount  from  year  to 
year.  A  deficit  arising  from  extraordinary  outlays  or 
shrinkage  of  income  should  invariably  be  made  up,  so  that 
each  year  may  close  with  the  balance  on  the  right  side  of 
the  ledger. 

Two  sample  forms  of  budget  are  given  in  the  appendix^ 
one  for  an  Association  of  two  thousand  members,  doing  an 
extensive  work  in  its  own  building;  the  other  for  an  Asso- 
ciation of  five  hundred  members,  occupying  rented  rooms. 
These  are  based  on  a  comparison  of  the  financial  reports 
of  several  Associations  working  on  these  lines.  (See  ap- 
pendix, samples  Nos.  11  and  12.) 

2. — Income. — a.  Interest  on  endowment  funds,  includ- 
ing the  net  income  from  the  Association  building. 

h.  Membership  fees  ought  always  to  be  an  important 
source  of  revenue.  They  will,  of  course,  vary  with  the 
number  and  expensiveness  of  the  privileges  offered.  With 
the  increase  of  costly  buildings  and  multiplied  facilities, 
there  may  be  a  tendency  to  enlarge  the  fees,  with  a  possi- 
bility of  excluding  some  young  men  who  most  need  the 
advantages  provided.  But  the  Association  cannot  wisely 
be  made  a  self  supporting  club.  Let  there  be  such  a 
variety  and  grading  of  privilege-bearing  tickets  as  will  ac- 
commodate all  reasonable  demands.  The  fees  in  the 
average  city  Association  are  two  dollars  for  limited  and 
five  dollars  for  full  membership. 

G.  Annual  subscriptions  must  generally  be  depended 
upon  for  a  considerable  portion,  perhaps  the  largest 
portion,  of  the  current  income.  There  are  many  in  every 
community  that  will  become  neither  members  nor  pledged 
contributors,  but  that  will  give  occasionally,  or  perhaps 
every  year,  if  asked  ;  and  there  are  usually  members  that 
can  give  largely  in  excess  of  the  regular  membership  fee. 
It  is  also  very  desirable  that  the  young  men  belonging  to 
the  Association  be  trained  in  the  matter  of  voluntary  and 


200  CURRENT  FINANCES.  Chap.  18,  A,  2. 

systematic  giving  to  its  support,  even  if    it    must    be    in 
small  sums. 

d.  Contributors  are  sometimes  willing  to  make  subscrip- 
tions for  a  specified  number  of  years  or  until  revoked. 
These  are  denominated  running  subscriptions^  and  include 
the  so-called  "  sustaining  memberships."  *  (See  pledge 
cards,  appendix,  sample  No.  13.)  There  should  be  sys- 
tematic effort  to  keep  such  subscribers  well  informed  re- 
garding the  work.  An  annual  visit  is  better  than  to  de- 
pend altogether  upon  printed  matter, 

e.  Festivals,  fairs,  and  various  entertainments,  which 
are  sometimes  resorted  to,  are  both  uncertain  and  generally 
undesirable  in  connection  with  current  finances.  Their 
too  frequent  recurrence  tends  to  demoralize,  and  to  absorb 
the  interest  that  is  needed  in  the  other  departments  of  the 
work.  There  should  be  more  giving  from  principle  ;  and 
it  will  certainly  lower  the  tone  of  an  institution  to  get 
its   money   through   simply   amusing  people.     Entertain- 

*  The  phrase  "  sustaining  membership  "  originated  in  1876,  and  was  then 
applied  to  an  agreement  on  the  part  of  a  number  of  persons  that  each  one  would 
contribute  a  stated  amount  (usually  ten  dollars  a  year)  until  the  pledge  was 
formally  cancelled,  the  donors  being  generally  entitled  to  specified  privileges  in 
the  Association.  It  was  also  an  essential  part  of  the  pledge  that  it  Avas  not  binding 
until  a  specified  sum  was  promised,  which  was  expected,  in  addition  to  other 
sources  of  income,  to  fully  defray  the  current  expenses  of  the  Association. 
Each  subscriber  was  thus  assured  both  that  the  Association  would  be  fully  sus- 
tained, and  that  he  would  not  be  called  on  for  further  contributions.  It  was  ex- 
pected that  liberal  friendsof  the  work  would  subscribe  for  several  memberships, 
sometimes  with  the  privilege  of  dividing  them  among  as  many  young  men.  Among 
the  advantages  claimed  for  the  system  was  this,  that  the  time  and  labor  formerly 
given  to  soliciting  funds  year  by  year  might  be  turned  into  other  channels  after  the 
sustaining  membership  was  once  full. 

But  in  practical  use  it  was  found  (a)  that  many  persons  of  means  took  a  single 
membership,  instead  of  making  a  subscription  amounting  to  five  or  ten  times  as 
much.  The  feature  proposed  in  the  plan  of  having  such  persons  take  several 
memberships  was  very  apt  to  be  overlooked,  both  by  those  soliciting  and  those 
solicited.  (&)  That  the  written  notice  that  the  fee  was  due  for  the  second  or  third 
year  did  not  take  the  place  of  the  personal  call  for  an  annual  subscription  by  a  well 
informed  solicitor.  In  other  words,  that  the  work  and  growth  of  the  Association 
needed  to  be  brought  every  year  in  some  live  v/ay  before  the  consciousness  of  every 
supporter,  (c)  That  from  the  absence  of  this  vital  link,  many  sustaining  members 
dropped  out,  and  that  the  work  of  supplying  their  places  was  very  irksome  and  apt 
to  be  neglected,  (d)  That  the  distribution  of  memberships  among  young  men  was 
Tindesirable.  It  has  been  tried  in  other  conuectiona  besides  the  sustaining  mem- 
bership, generally  with  unsatisfactory  results. 

As  result  of  these  diflSiculties,  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  system,  in  its  entirety, 
is  now  anywhere  in  use.  The  term,  "  sustaining  membership,"  is  used  in  a 
number  of  Associations,  but  with  a  variety  of  practical  meanings.  A  person  whose 
first  and  only  relation  to  the  Association  is  that  of  a  contributor  should  not  be 
included  in  the  membership,  and  there  will  probably  always  be  some  contributors 
■who  will  prefer  not  to  be  so  reckoned.  Membership  should  be  secured  only  by  the 
regular  process,  with  whatever  it  may  include  in  the  way  of  filling  out  a  member' 
ship  blank,  and  election  or  admission. 


Chap.  18,  A,  3,  cuaREXT  finances.  201 

merits  of  a  high  order  are  sometimes  conducted  under 
Association  auspices,  such  as  art  or  industrial  exhibitions, 
that  are  very  helpful  in  both  educational  and  social  lines, 
and  without  any  objectionable  features.  But  even  these 
should  not  occur  too  often,  and  their  proceeds  had  better 
be  devoted  to  some  special  object  outside  of  current  ex- 
penses. 

f.  Sometimes  a  public  meeting  is  made  the  occasion  for 
raising  money.  Success  usually  depends  upon  thorough 
preparation,  including  the  securing  in  advance  of  some 
large  pledges.  While  good  results  may  be  obtained  now 
and  then,  this  method  is  always  unreliable  as  a  permanent 
resource,  and  even  its  occasional  use  is  unsatisfactory. 

3. — Solicitation. — a.  The  finance  committee  of  the 
board,  often  composed  of  the  older  and  more  substantial 
business  men,  may  associate  with  itself,  for  the  special 
purpose  of  soliciting  funds,  some  of  the  younger  members 
of  the  Association.  The  officers  and  directors  should  all 
be  willinof  to  aid  in  this  work  as  needed.  Their  activitv 
will  stimulate  other  workers,  and  carry  weight  with  lead- 
inor  members  of  the  communitv,  whose  contributions  can 
best  be  secured  by  men  of  their  own  standing.  All  the 
solicitors  should  be  loyal  to,  and  well  informed  about,  the 
work;  able  to  answer  reasonable  questions  concerning  it; 
and  contributors,  each  according  to  his  ability,  to  its  sup- 
port. Brief,  pointed  statements  regarding  the  work  can 
often  be  used  effectively  in  solicitation.  Where  the  work 
lias  had  a  healthy  growth,  comparative  figures  covering  sev- 
eral years  will  be  very  useful.  Figures  showing  the 
receipts  and  expenditures  of  Associations  in  cities  of  the 
same  size  or  smaller  may  also  be  used  with  good  results, 
especially  in  communities  where  public  sentiment  regard- 
ing Association  matters  needs  to  be    educated. 

h.  In  order  to  create  general  interest  and  helpfulness 
the  work  must  be  kept  before  the  public.  Details  regard- 
ing this  matter  are  given  in  chapter  20. 

c.   The  canvass  should  be  organized  early  in  the  year 


20^  CCRRENT  FINANCES.  Chap.  18,  A,  3. 

and  completed  as  soon  as  practicable.  This  will  be  more 
successfully  and  easily  done  by  pushing  it  thoroughly  for 
one  month  than  by  letting  it  drag  on  to  the  end  of  the 
year. 

d.  An  excellent  plan,  and  one  much  in  use,  is  for 
the  soliciting  committee  to  prepare  a  list  of  persons  who 
have  given  or  are  likely  to  give  to  the  work,  and  then  for 
each  member  to  select  the  names  of  those  whom  it  is  be- 
lieved he  can  best  influence,  and  with  the  expectation  of 
securing  a  definite  sum.  A  concise  statement  of  the  work 
of  the  Association,  its  financial  condition,  and  needs,  sent 
out  in  advance  of  the  canvass,  will  contribute  to  its  suc- 
cess. 

6.  It  is  often  an  advantage  for  two  solicitors  to  go 
together.  A  solicitor  should  never  beg.  He  should  state 
his  errand  in  a  manly,  straightforward  way. 

/.  Pledge  cards  have  many  advantages  over  subscrip- 
tion books.  When  one  sees  a  list  of  names,  he  may  be 
led  to  pattern  after  those  who  give  least,  without  con- 
sidering the  question  of  ability  ;  while  the  solicitor  may 
carry  with  him  only  such  subscriptions  on  cards  as  he 
thinks  it  will  be  advantageous  to  show.  Such  cards  are 
also  conveniently  arranged  for  filing,  both  alphabetically 
and  by  years.  The  subscriber  should  always  fill  out 
duplicates,  retaining  one  as  a  memorandum  of  the 
obligation. 

g.  The  canvass  list  should  be  comprehensive  and  every 
person  on  it  should  be  seen.  A  frequent  and  serious  mis- 
take is  that  many  who  might  give  are  never  asked  to  do  so, 
and  the  burden  rests  upon  the  few.  Again,  numerous 
small  subscriptions  are  valuable  as  a  manifestation  of  in- 
terest on  the  part  of  many  people,  and  are  also  more  apt  to 
be  kept  up  than  a  few  larger  pledges. 

h.  Pledges  made  should  be  promptly  reported  to  the 
office.  Careful  records  should  be  kept  both  of  new  sub- 
scriptions and  of  calls  made  without  results,  with  the 
reasons  given  for  not  contributing.   The  original  lists,  with 


Chap.  18,  A,  3.  CURRENT  FINANCES.  203 

these  and  other  helpful  memoranda,  should  be  filed  for 
future  consultation. 

i.  Subscription  books,  showing  all  pledges  to  date, 
may  be  mailed  to  persons  whom  it  is  impracticable  to  see 
personally,  or  from  whom  small  amounts  are  expected,  as 
a  gleaning  of  the  field.  Written  letters  accompanying  the 
books  will  be  far  more  effective  than  printed  appeals. 
The  use  of  their  business  letter  heads  by  solicitors  will 
sometimes  be  advantageous. 

j.  Other  members  of  the  Association  who  are  not  on 
the  committee  sliould  take  an  interest  in  this  work,  striv- 
ing to  influence  those  with  whom  they  are  thrown  in  in- 
timate contact,  and  giving  helpful  suggestions  concerning 
them  to  the  soliciting  committee. 

k.  There  is  nothing  to  prevent  any  member  from  secur- 
ing applications  for  membership,  though  in  this  work  the 
desire  to  increase  the  income  should  never  be  the  leading 
motive.  It  may  often  be  best  to  suggest  the  limited 
ticket  to  the  average  young  man,  leaving  it  optional  with 
him  to  select  a  more  expensive  one.  In  general,  this  fee  is 
so  nearly  nominal  that  there  need  be  no  false  modesty  in 
asking  any  one  to  become  a  member. 

l.  The  suggestions  given  regarding  a  canvass  for 
memberships  and  for  a  building,  in  chapter  9,  C,  5  and  in 
chapter  16,  B,  should  be  read  in  connection  with  this 
chapter.  The  "plan  of  canvass  for  a  building"  is  some- 
times followed  with  excellent  effect  in  raising  money  for 
current  expenses. 

m.  In  connection  with  all  this  work  there  will  be  need 
of  tact,  courtesy,  cheerfulness,  persistency,  and,  above  all, 
prayer  and  faith  in  God. 


204  CURRENT  FINANCES.  Chap.  18,  B,  1, 

SECTION  B. 

COLLECTIONS  AND  DISBURSEMENTS. 

1. — If  collections  can  largely  be  made  at  the  office,  there 
will  be  a  saving  of  labor  and  of  liability  to  errors.  Col- 
lections outside  the  office  should  be  made  by  a  regular  and 
known  agent  or  responsible  member  of  the  Association,  a 
boy  never  being  employed  except  as  a  messenger  carrying 
a  sealed  envelope.  The  agent  should  be  able  to  answer 
all  ordinary  questions  concerning  the  work. 

Any  matter  of  doubt  in  collecting  should  be  at  once 
referred  back  to  the  office.  A  book  should  also  be  kept  in 
which  to  note  any  excuses  for  non-payment,  promises  to  pay 
at  some  future  time,  reasons  for  discontinuance  of  member- 
ship or  subscription,  and  any  criticism  or  suggestion  regard- 
ing the  work.  Such  information  will  be  helpful  in  many  waj^s. 

2. — A  sealed  notice  by  mail  a  few  days  in  advance  of 
intended  collection  of  subscription  is  sometimes  desirable. 
Many  collections  can  be  made  by  mail,  business  men  often 
preferring  to  pay  thus.  Subscriptions  are  sometimes  col- 
lected by  the  persons  soliciting  them,  either  at  the  time  or 
subsequently. 

3. — There  should  be  stated  times  for  the  payment  of  all 
fees  and  subscriptions.  All  subscription  books  and  cards 
should  provide  for  the  subscriber's  stating  the  time  of  pay- 
ment, if  this  is  not  already  fixed.  All  memhership  fees 
should  be  payable  ^;^  advance^  from  ten  to  thirty  days 
grace  being  sometimes  given  old  members.  The  member- 
ship books  should  be  examined  monthl}^,  and  a  notice  sent 
each  member  at  least  two  weeks  prior  to  the  day  on 
which  his  fee  is  payable.  (See  appendix,  sample  No.  6.) 
If  payment  is  not  made  voluntarily  or  in  response  to 
notice,  the  parties  should  be  seen  personally.  This  work 
may  properly  be  undertaken  by  the  membership  committee. 
It  is  more  important  to  retain  a  member  than  to  secure  a 
new  one.     (See  Chap.  9,  E,  4.) 


Chap.  18,  B,  8.  CURRENT  FINANCSS.  205 

4. — When  a  member  or  subscriber  has  an  account  against 
the  Association  which  he  presents  as  an  offset,  the  settle- 
ment of  this  account  and  the  payment  of  his  fee  or  subscrip- 
tion should  appear  on  the  books  as  distinct  transactions. 

5. — Collections  are  usually  authorized  and  supervised  by 
the  finance  committee,  no  matter  by  whom  the  detail  work  is 
done.  All  money  raised  and  expended  should  pass  through 
the  hands  of  the  treasurer;  *  payments  being  made  to  him 
directly  or  through  some  salaried  officer  of  the  Association. 
He  may  often  require  assistance  from  such  an  officer. 

6. — The  credit  system  should  be  avoided.  A  strictly 
cash  plan  may  seem  inconvenient  and,  at  times,  perplexing, 
but  with  prompt  collections  it  should  be  possible.  A 
monthly  settlement  of  current  accounts  is,  of  course, 
consistent  with  the  cash  plan.  If  credits  are  allowed,  pass 
books  should  be  used. 

7. — The  constitution  almost  invariably  provides  that 
money  be  paid  out  of  the  treasury  only  for  bills  that  have 
been  audited  by  the  finance  committee,  and  sometimes  re- 
quires in  addition  the  presentation  of  a  warrant  signed  by 
that  committee.  This  committee,  presenting  estimates, 
keeping  an  account  of  the  appropriations,  and  supervising 
the  ways  and  means,  is  thoroughly  qualified  for  this  duty. 
(See  Chap.  8,  D,  1.) 

8. — All  bills  should  be  endorsed  as  correct  by  the  person 
or  committee  making  the  expenditure,  before  they  go  to 
the  finance  committee.  A  rubber  stamp  something  like 
the  following  will  be  a  great  convenience  : 


From                   Bryan  S  Co. 

Fund               JReligious  Dextt. 

AMT. 

$4.40 

Ordered  by           Jenkins 

DATE 

June    9 

Received  by       Gen'l  Sec, 

u 

"     13 

Approved  by       JeiiJcins 

ti 

"     15 

Warrant  No.           370 

ft 

"     30 

*  A  seeming  exception  to  this  rule  may  be  where  a  course  of  entertainments, 
or  other  special  scheme  of  waj's  and  means,  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  com- 
mittee ;  when  the  committee  often  manages  the  financial  details  and  turns  over 
the  net  proceeds  into  the  treasury.  A  fully  itemized  report  should,  however,  be 
rendered  in  every  such  case. 


206  CURRENT  FINANCES.  Chap.  18,  B,  9. 

9. — As  some  small  items,  such  as  telegrams  and  express- 
age,  must  often  be  paid  for  in  cash,  a  stated  sum  from  the 
annual  appropriation  for  incidental  expenses  should  be 
advanced  to  the  general  secretary  at  the  beginning  of  each 
month,  and  he  should  render  an  itemized  bill  at  its  close. 
There  should  be  a  definite  understanding  with  the  treasurer 
as  to  what  is  to  be  included  under  incidental  expenses,  and 
if  cash  must  be  paid  for  items  that  belong  under  other 
sub-divisions  of  the  accounts,  separate  bills  should  be  ren- 
dered for  them. 

10. — Many  Associations  use  a  "  treasury  warrant "  (see 
appendix,  sample  No.  14),  which  is  given  by  the  finance 
committee  to  the  treasurer  on  the  approval  of  a  bill.  Under 
this  system  the  original  bills  are  filed  by  the  committee; 
and  the  treasury  warrants,  after  payment,  are  held  by 
the  treasurer  as  his  vouchers.  In  other  Associations  the 
finance  committee  keeps  a  list  of  bills  approved,  but  passes 
the  original  bills  over  to  the  treasurer  for  payment,  and 
he  retains  them  as  his  vouchers. 

11. — Financial  papers  and  accounts  should  be  kept  in  a 
safe  at  the  office  of  the  Association,  except  such  as  are  in 
actual  use  elsewhere. 


SECTION  C. 

FINANCIAL    BOOK-KEEPING. 

1. — The  methods  of  book-keeping  should  be  simple,  in- 
volving as  little  labor  as  possible.  The  treasurer  and 
finance  committee  are  responsible  for  every  item  and  should 
give  all  needed  supervision,  but  details  must  often  be  left 
to  some  paid  officer  of  the  Association.  Although  uni- 
formity cannot  be  expected,  a  few  suggestions  are  given, 
with  samples  of  book  forms,  arranged  as  far  as  may  be  to 
economize  writing  and  facilitate  the  classification  and 
posting  of  items. 


Chap.  18,  0,  2.  CURRENT  FINANCES.  207 

2. — The  smaller  Associations  may  require  only  a  treas- 
urer's cash  book,  described  under  Z>,  a  register  of  subscrip- 
tions, described  under  (?,  and  a  membership  register. 
Some  items  given  in  the  samples  may  be  omitted  by  such 
Associations. 

The  following  method,  however,  embracing  the  warrant 
system,  is  suggested  for  the  average  Association  employing 
a  general  secretary.     The  books  needed  are  : 

a.  Office  cash  book  (see  appendix,  sample  No.  15),  in 
which  will  be  debited  classified  receipts,  and  will  be  cred- 
ited amounts  turned  over  to  the  treasurer.  This  book  be- 
longs to  the  finance  committee,  but  may  properly  be  kept 
by  an  agent  at  the  office.  If  any  money  is  paid  directly 
to  the  treasurer,  he  should  promptly  notify  the  agent,  as 
all  receipts  should  appear  on  the  office  book. 

h.  Treasurer's  cash  book  (see  sample  No.  16),  in  which 
this  officer  will  debit  himself  with  the  classified  summary 
of  amounts  received  from  the  office  agent,  and  credit  him- 
self with  amounts  paid  out  on  warrants.  Each  disburse- 
ment entry  should  show  the  number  of  the  warrant  and 
the  branch  of  the  work  to  which  it  is  charged,  as  "  educa- 
tional department,"  "  social  department,"  etc.  Payments 
should  be  made  by  check. 

The  closing  pages  of  the  book  may  be  used  for  a  com- 
parative statement,  arranged  by  months  and  years. 

c.  Financial  registers.  (1)  A  register  of  subscrip- 
tions (see  sample  No.  17).  This  should  show  the  name, 
address,  amount,  whether  running  or  for  one  year  only, 
when  payable,  time  and  amount  of  payments,  etc.  (2)  A 
register  of  membership  fees.  This  maybe  kept,  if  desired, 
in  a  book  by  itself  ;  but  it  can  be  kept  more  conveniently 
in  the  "Hersey"  membership  book  by  inserting  in  the 
column  "  what  privileges  "  the  amount,  in  addition  to  the 
description  of  privileges,  or  in  the  Era  Co.'s  book  by  doing 
the  same  in  the  "  Class  "  column.  (See  Chap.  9,  E,  4;  also 
appendix,  sample  No.  9.) 

Credits  should  be  posted  from  the  office  cash  book  to 


208  CURRENT  FINANCES.  Chap.  18,  C,  3. 

both  these  books  at  least  weekly,  and  corrections  made 
promptly  by  adding  or  dropping  names,  and  changing  such 
items  as  class,  amount  of  subscription,  etc.  New  pledges 
should  be  entered  on  the  register  of  subscriptions  as  soon 
as  reported  to  the  office.  Every  precaution  should  be 
taken  to  prevent  the  duplication  of  requests  for  fees  and 
subscriptions.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  make  out  all  bills  or 
receipts  from  a  stub  book,  and  to  keep  on  the  stubs  such 
items  as  the  fact  and  date  of  payment,  or  when  a  bill  was 
sent,  whether  by  mail  or  messenger,  etc. 

d.  Appropriation  book  (see  sample  No.  18),  in  which 
the  finance  committee  will  keep  an  account  with  each  com- 
mittee or  department  expending  money.  There  will  be 
placed  to  the  credit  of  each  the  amount  originally  appro- 
priated by  the  board,  together  with  any  subsequent  appro- 
priations; and  expenditures  by  it,  or  on  its  account,  will 
be  charged  against  it,  all  bills  being  analyzed  for  this  pur- 
pose. A  better  plan  is  to  insist  on  having  a  separate  bill 
rendered  for  each  order.  Paid  bills  should  be  numbered 
to  correspond  with  the  warrants  or  bank  checks  and  filed; 
and  an  account  of  warrants  drawn  on  the  treasurer  may  be 
kept  by  means  of  stubs  in  the  warrant  book.  All  books 
should  be  provided  with  such  indexes  as  may  be  helpful. 

Some  Associations  insert  the  items  of  the  budget,  in 
red  ink,  at  the  top  of  the  columns  in  the  treasurer's  cash 
book.  But  it  is  desirable  to  use  the  appropriation  book 
also,  in  order  to  have  a  record  of  all  bills  charged  against 
appropriations  as  soon  as  they  are  approved,  without  refer- 
ence to  the  time  of  their  payment,  which  may  be  delayed. 

e.  When  an  Association  has  a  board  of  trustees,  the 
items  given  in  sample  11  as  belonging  to  it  must  be  kept 
in  a  separate  book. 

3. — A  form  of  deposit  ticket,  to  be  filed  with  the  treas- 
urer by  the  office  agent  with  each  payment,  is  shown  in 
the  aijpendix,  sample  No.  19.  A  duplicate  stub,  signed  by 
the  treasurer,  constitutes  a  receipt.  One  hundred  or  so  of 
these  may  be  stitched  together  like  a  check  book. 


Chap.  18,  C,  7.  CURRENT  finances.  209 

4. — The  report  of  the  treasurer,  made  monthly  or 
quarterly,  as  desired,  should  show  the  cash  transactions 
classified.  Two  report  forms  are  given  in  the  appendix, 
the  first,  sample  No.  20,  giving  receipts  and  expenditures 
for  a  single  month;  and  the  other,  sample  No.  21,  giving 
the  same,  together  with  a  comparison  with  the  estimates 
for  the  year.  The  report  of  the  finance  committee  should 
show  the  current  assets  and  liabilities,  real  and  estimated. 
The  financial  condition  and  needs  are  thus  brought  statedly 
to  the  attention  of  the  board.  These  reports  should  be 
filed  in  permanent  form.  Some  Associations  print  blanks 
with  the  same  headings  as  the  cash  books  for  monthly  re- 
ports. A  system  of  comparative  statements  is  very 
desirable,  and  may  be  incorporated  in  the  various 
reports. 

A  condensed  financial  record  book,  just  issued  by  the 
Young  Men's  Era  Publishing  Co.,  is  arranged  to  contain 
a  monthly,  comparative,  classified  summary  of  receipts  and 
expenditures,  and  also  to  show  their  relation  to  the  items 
in  the  budget.  It  is  sold  by  the  International  Committee 
as  No.  49. 

5. — Substantial  books  should  be  obtained  for  the  finan- 
cial records.  Those  used  often  convey  any  impression  but 
that  of  permanency.  Better  books  tend  to  better  book- 
keeping. Such  books,  however,  should  not  be  pro- 
cured until  a  convenient  and  comprehensive  system  of 
accounts  has  been  worked  out  by  experience. 

6. — Provision  should  be  made  in  the  constitution  for  a 
stated  examination  of  all  books  and  accounts  as  to  both 
accuracy  and  neatness.  To  facilitate  such  examination 
the  entries  in  the  books  may  be  numbered  to  correspond 
with  the  bills.  If  all  bills  are  paid  by  check,  the  check 
number  may  be  used  in  the  entry  and  upon  the  bill. 

v. — Each  committee  disbursing  money  under  an  appro- 
priation should  keep  a  simple  financial  account.  Com- 
mittee expenditures  under  appropriations  are  left  largely 
to  the  several  chairmen  and  the  general  secretary. 


oh:af»tei^  19. 

REAL  ESTATE  AND  ENDOWMENT  FUNDS. 


SECTION  A. 

INCOKPO RATION. 

1^ — In  order  to  receive  bequests;  purchase,  hold,  and 
transfer  real  property;*  and  exercise  various  other  legal 
rights, — an  Association  must  be  incorporated.  This  usually 
simple  and  inexpensive  procedure  should  be  undertaken  by 
every  Association,  thus  embodying  fundamentally  in  its 
organization  the  idea  of  permanency  and  property  rights, 
A  good  lawyer  should  always  be  consulted  in  such  matters, 
and  every  necessary  step  carefully  taken. 

An  unincorporated  society  may  exercise  some  of  these 
rights  through  trustees,  as  individuals,  but  such  a  plan 
is  complicated  and  more  or  less  uncertain  in  its  operations. 

2. — Some  of  the  older  Associations  have  special  charters; 
but  there  is  a  growing  opposition  to  this  class  of  legisla- 
tion which'  often  prevents  its  being  secured,  and  in  some 
states  it  is  prohibited  by  law.  In  most,  if  not  all  the 
states,  however,  general  statutory  provisions  exist  suffi- 
cient for  all  ordinary  purposes.  In  several  states,  begin- 
ning, it  is  believed,  with  Michigan  in  1867,  general  laws 
have  been  enacted  for  the  incorporation  of  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations.  As  such  laws  are  prepared  for 
passage  in  other  states,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  they  may  be 

*  The  real  propei'ty  of  an  Association  includes  its  building  or  buildings,  with 
permanent  fixtures,  and  the  laud  upon  which  the  same  is  located,  but  does 
not  include  furniture  and  other  movable  appliances. 


Chap.  19,  B,  1.      REAL  ESTATE  AND  ENDOWMENTS.  211 

carefully  framed,  and  with  as  much  uniformity  in  their 
provisions  as  is  practicable.  (See  especially  the  general  laws 
of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  on  this  subject,  which  can 
be  obtained  from  the  State  Committees  of  the  Associations 
of  these  states.) 


SECTION  B. 

TRUSTEES. 

1. — It  is  considered  wise  to  vest  the  custody  and  gen- 
eral supervision  of  real  property  and  trust  funds  in  a  sep- 
arate board  generally  known  as  trustees.  Through  the  exist- 
ence of  two  boards,  and  a  constitutional  or  charter  provision 
for  joint  action,  additional  safeguards  are  thrown  around  the 
important  matters  of  tenure  and  transfer.*  Such  a  board 
may  also  be  fixed  and  conservative  in  its  corporate  organi- 
zation, and  be  composed  of  older  and  more  experienced 
men  than  it  is  desirable  to  have  as  directors.  Their  con- 
nection with  the  business  affairs  of  the  Association  will 
increase  its  weight  and  influence  with  the  public  and 
greatly  strengthen  confidence  in  its  permanency.  The 
directors  are  naturally  younger  men,  who  are  in  more  con- 
stant and  close  contact  with  the  work. 

But  legal  provisions  vary  greatly  in  the  different  states 
and  provinces,  and  the  plan  here  suggested  must  be  decid- 

*  The  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  laws  provide  for  a  board  of  trustees,  of 
which  the  president  of  the  Association  shall  be  a  member.  Section  5  of  the  latter 
act  reads  :  "The  real  property  of  the  corporation  shall  be  managed  by  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  such  corporation,  but  all  real  property  which  shall  be 
given  to,  or  acquired  by  such  corporation,  and  all  gifts  and  bequests  of  money 
to  be  held  in  trust,  shall  beheld  by  the  Board  of  Trustees;  but  no  real  property 
belonging  to  an  Association  so  incorporated  shall  be  conveyed,  disposed  of  or 
mortgaged  by  said  Board  of  Trustees,  except  with  the  consent  of  the  Board 
of  Directors  of  said  corporation.  The  income  which  the  said  Board  of  Trustees 
shall  i-eceive  from  the  property  under  its  control,  and  the  said  property  shall  be 
devoted  to  the  purposes  of  the  corporation  and  for  no  other  purpose;  and  so 
long  as  the  directors  of  the  corporation  shall  so  expend  the  same,  the  income  of 
the  property  so  controlled  by  said  Board  of  Trustees  shall  be  paid  over  to  the 
treasurer  of  said  Board  of  Directors." 

Section  5  of  the  New  York  act  differs  from  this  verbally  in  some  respects,  and 
contains  at  the  close  of  the  first  sentence  the  additional  provision,  "  nor  shall 
such  real  property  be  liable  for  any  debt  or  obligation  of  the  corporation,  unless 
such  debt  or  obligation  shall  have  been  cgntracted  with  the  approval  of  th© 
Board  of  Trustees/^ 


212  REAL  ESTATE  AND  ENDOWMENTS.      Chap.  19,  B,  2. 

edly  modified  in  many  cities.  Good  legal  counsel  should 
always  be  followed. 

2. — The  board  of  trustees  should,  by  constitutional  and 
charter  provision,  be  composed  of  members  in  good  stand- 
ing of  evangelical  churches,  as  described  by  the  Portland 
test.  (See  Chap.  3,  F,  2.)  The  president  of  the  Associa- 
tion is  usually  an  ex  officio  member  of  the  board.  In  order 
that  the  board  of  trustees  may  constitute  a  suitable  check 
on  the  Association,  it  should  be  self-perpetuating.  The 
best  experience  of  the  Associations  favors  life  tenure  of 
office.  But  Avhere  office  is  held  for  a  limited  term  of  years, 
the  terms  of  only  one-third  or  one-fourth  of  the  trustees 
should  expire  each  year,  in  order  that  there  may  always 
be  a  majority  of  experienced  men  on  the  board.  In  either 
case  the  choice  of  the  trustees  may  be  restricted  to  a  list 
of  names  submitted  to  them  by  the  board  of  directors. 
The  board  should  be  regularly  organized,  having  a  chair- 
man, secretary,  and  treasurer.  The  general  secretary  of 
the  Association  may  be  secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees. 
The  constitution  of  the  Association  should  clearly  dis- 
criminate and  limit  the  duties  and  powers  of  the  two 
boards  —  trustees  and  directors  —  in  harmony  with  the 
specifications  of  the  charter  or  certificate  of  incorporation. 
All  minor  matters,  such  as  the  dates  of  meeting  and  order 
of  business,  should  be  provided  for  in  the  by-laws  of  the 
board  of  trustees.  Quarterly  or  semi-annual  meetings  are 
usually  found  to  be  sufficiently  frequent. 

3. — In  detail,  the  duties  of  the  trustees  include  the  care 
and  investment  of  trust  funds;  the  supervision  of  taxes, 
insurance,  and  repairs,  and  of  mortgages  and  other  obliga- 
tions in  connection  with  the  real  property:  the  leasing  of 
anj^  portions  of  the  property  that  may  not  be  needed  by 
the  Association,  and  the  collection  of  rents  ;  and  the  sale 
and  exchange  of  real  property. 

4. — These  duties  clearly  may  involve  a  large  amount  of 
detail  work.  It  is  equally  clear  that  men  qualified  by  age 
and  business  standing  for  the  trusteeship  ought  to  be  re- 


Chap.  19,  B,  5.      REAL  ESTATE  AND  ENDOWMENTS.  21  3 

lieved,  as  much  as  possible,  of  such  work,  which  belongs 
apjDropriately  to  the  younger  men  on  the  board  of  directors, 
who  are  also  much  more  familiar  with  the  real  needs  of  the 
Association.  Accordingly  in  some  Associations  the  trus- 
tees authorize  the  directors  to  act  as  their  agent  in  relation 
to  the  real  property,  the  treasurer  of  the  Association  re- 
porting to  them  quarterly  or  semi-annually  all  receipts  and 
expenditures  connected  with  such  property. 

The  act  of  incorporation  of  the  New  York  City  Asso- 
ciation provides  in  section  6  :  "  The  body  corporate  cre- 
ated by  this  Act  shall  be  capable  of  taking  by  purchase, 
gift,  devise,  or  bequest,  subject  to  all  provisions  of  law  re- 
lating to  devises  and  bequests  by  last  wills  and  testaments, 
and  holding,  and  with  the  consent  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees, of  mortgaging  and  conveying,  any  real  or  personal 
estate  for  the  uses  of  said  corporation." 

The  finance  committee  of  the  board  of  directors  is  given 
the  detail  care  of  the  real  property.  "  The  finance  com- 
mittee shall  have  the  care  of  the  real  property  of  the 
Association.  All  portions  of  the  real  property  of  the  As- 
sociation not  used  for  its  purposes  shall  be  let  or  leased  by 
them,  and  all  repairs  or  alterations  made  in  the  buildings 
shall  be  ordered  and  supervised  by  them."  (By-laws  of 
board  of  directors,  art.  2,  sec.  4.) 

The  trustees  retain  control  of  trust  funds.  "  There  shall 
be  appointed  by  the  Chairman,  immediately  after  his  elec- 
tion in  each  year,  a  Finance  Committee  consisting  of  two 
members  of  the  Board,  who  shall  audit  the  accounts  of  the 
Treasurer,  and  shall,  with  the  Treasurer,  direct  in  regard 
to  the  disposition,  or  investment,  or  care  of  any  funds, 
securities,  or  property  which  may  be  under  the  manage- 
ment of  the  board.  They  shall  hold  office  until  the  ap. 
pointment  of  their  successors,"  (By-laws  of  board  of 
trustees,  art.  3.) 

No  other  committee  of  the  trustees  is  needed  in  working 
this  plan. 

5. — Under   such    an    arrangement    no    sale    or    mort- 


214  HEAL  ESTATE  AND  ENDOWMENTS.     Chap.  19,  B,  6. 

gage  of  real  estate  is  valid  unless  it  is  authorized  by 
both  boards.  The  trustees  are  informed  regarding  the 
conduct  of  all  the  business  for  which  they  are  responsible, 
and  have  opportunity  to  express  dissent  from  any  action 
of  the  directors  that  they  deem  unwise. 

6. — In  some  Associations  the  trustees  attend  in  detail  to 
the  matters  committed  to  them,  in  which  case  several  other 
committees  are  needed,  such  as  committees  on  {a)  building 
and  repairs,  (b)  rentals,  (c)  taxes  and  insurance,  and  (d)  ob- 
ligations and  investments. 

7. — The  president  of  the  Association,  as  its  representa- 
tive, usually  signs  leases  and  similar  legal  documents. 

8. — Financial  matters  in  charge  of  the  trustees  should 
be  entirely  distinct  from  all  others.  A  separate  account 
should  be  kept  of  each  fund;  stated  reports  should  be 
made  in  detail  of  the  condition  of  each,  including  all  re- 
ceipts and  expenditures  since  the  last  report;  and  any  sur- 
plus be  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  directors.  Sample 
No.  11,  in  the  appendix — a  form  of  budget  for  an  Associa- 
tion occupying  its  own  building — shows  trustees'  and 
directors'  accounts  separated. 


[SECTION  C. 

ENDOWMENT. 

1. — The  question  of  endowment  is  to  be  intimately  con- 
nected in  the  future  with  the  stability  and  efficiency  of  the 
Associations.  No  extended  work  of  this  character  can  be 
supported  by  the  fees  of  a  bo?ia  fide  membership.  There  is 
too  great  a  disparity  between  the  privileges  afforded  and  the 
price  paid  for  them.  An  attempt  might  as  well  be  made  to 
conduct  a  college  with  no  income  except  the  tuition  fees  of 
the  students.  A  portion  of  the  needed  income  is  readily 
secured  from  the  members ;  a  certain  amount  may  also  be 
obtained  from  the  public  by  subscriptions;  but  great  harm 


Chap.  10,  C,  a.     REAL  ESTATE  AND  ENDOWMENTS.  215 

results  from  too  heavy  a  financial  burden  of  tliis  descrip- 
tion. The  energy  needed  in  the  real  work  of  the  organi- 
zation is  absorbed  in  its  business  affairs,  while  the  constant 
financial  pressure  wears  out  the  interest  of  the  members, 
discourages  the  management,  and  exhausts  the  patience  of 
the  community.  The  remedy  for  this  is  to  be  found  only 
in  a  partial  endowment, 

2. — So  far,  the  principal  method  of  endowment  has  been 
the  Association  building.  The  amount  otherwise  paid  for 
rent  is  thus  saved,  and  often  considerable  income  is  realized 
by  renting  out  some  rooms.  This  is  well  as  far  as  it 
goes,  but  many  an  Association,  in  order  to  accommodate 
its  growing  work,  is  compelled  to  occupy  more  and  more 
of  its  building.  And  there  are  other  reasons  for  urging 
the  creation  of  cash  endowments  for  special  objects,  such 
as  the  library,  educational  classes,  religious  work,  and 
practical  and  scientific  lectures.  Annual  appropriations 
for  these  purposes,  although  of  the  first  importance,  are 
apt  to  be  neglected  or  pushed  aside  in  the  stress  of  other 
matters,  through  considerations  falsely  called  practical. 
There  are  also  men  who  will  give  generous  sums  for  a 
particular  object  who  would  not  be  interested  in  the 
general  finances. 

An  endowment  providing  for  the  salary  of  a  general 
secretary  would  guarantee  the  permanency  of  the  office, 
and  silence  a  class  of  fault-finders  by  allowing  the  bulk  of 
the  funds  contributed  annually  to  go  directly  to  the  work 
itself. 

3. — It  should  be  the  aim  of  every  Association  to  estab- 
lish some  such  fund,  as  early  as  practicable.  The  forma- 
tion of  a  nucleus  will  be  at  least  suggestive.  This  should 
be  followed  by  such  steady  and  well  directed  effort  as  will 
lead  persons  to  direct  their  gifts  and  bequests  into  the 
channels  of  widest  and  most  lasting  usefulness.  That  wise 
management  and  its  natural  results  in  the  legitimate  fields 
of  Association  work  will  attract  attention  is  sliov/n  by  the 
frequent  benefactions  of  recent   years.     These  gifts  have 


216  REAL  ESTATE  AND  ENDOWMENTS.      Chap.  19,  D,  1. 

been  increasing  in  numbers  and  amount,  and  will  do  so 
more  and  more  as  those  who  liave  grown  up  in  tlie  active 
work  of  the  Associations  become  successful  in  business. 


SECTION  D. 

DEBT,  TAXES,  INSURANCE,  AND    LEASES. 

1. — Debt. — A  building  enterprise  often  cannot  be  car- 
ried through  on  a  sufficiently  large  scale  to  provide  for  the 
real  needs  of  the  work  without  borrowing  some  money.  In 
such  case  the  entire  debt  should  be  funded  with  a  savings 
bank,  or  similar  institution.  It  is  best  to  have  such  obliga- 
tions in  one  place,  and  lower  rates  of  interest  are  thus  ob- 
tained than  will  be  usually  given  on  ordinary  bank  or 
individual  paper.  Such  debt  must,  of  course,  be  secured 
by  mortgage  on  the  building,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to 
carry  an  insurance  equal  to  the  amount  of  the  debt,  as  col- 
lateral, the  policies  being  assigned  to  and  held  by  the  mort- 
gagee. It  will  be  to  the  advantage  of  the  Association 
if  the  terms  of  the  mortgage  allow  payments  of  any 
amount  on  account  of  the  principal  each  time  that  interest 
is  due.  When  at  all  practicable,  a  sinking  fund  should  be 
constituted  hj  setting  aside  part  of  the  income  from  the 
building,  and  every  other  reasonable  effort  should  be  made 
to  reduce  the  debt.  At  an  opportune  time  the  balance  may 
be  canceled  by  a  special  effort.* 

2. —  Taxes. — The  taxation  of  the  real  property  of  the 
Associations  varies  greatly,  not  only  in  the  different  states 
but  among  the  organizations  in  the  same  state,  from  com- 
plete exemption  to  payment  on  full  valuation.  When  no 
special  statutory  provision  exists,  the  matter  is  determined 
apparently  by  the  opinion  of  the  adjudicating  court,  the 
judgment  of  the  assessors,  or  the  energy  and  tact  of  the 

*  See  "  How  to  pay  off  a  mortgage,''  "  Watchman,"  1886,  p.  303;  and  "Plan  of 
a  canvass,"  Chap.  16,  B. 


Chap.  19,  D,  4.     REAL  ESTATE  AND  ENBOWMENTB.  ^17 

local  management.  Where  there  are  laws  exempting 
religious  and  educational  institutions  from  taxation,  the 
Association  should  be  exempt;  and  not  only  the  portion  of 
the  building  occupied  by  it  but  the  rented  parts  also,  so 
long  as  the  entire  income  is  employed  in  the  prosecution 
of  its  work.*  Each  Association  should  be  interested  in 
securing  its  rights  under  existing  laws;  and  there  might 
be  a  systematic  effort  to  procure  desirable  legislation  in 
states  where  it  does  not  exist.  This  may  properly  be 
done  in  connection  with  the  enactment  of  a  general  law 
for  the  incorporation  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tions. 

3. — Insurance. — Failure  to  provide  against  loss  by  fire  is 
culpable  neglect,  the  annual  premiums  being  a  light  ex- 
penditure compared  with  the  loss  attending  a  conflagration, 
if  uninsured.  It  may  be  doubted  whether  an  Association 
sustaining  such  a  loss  has  a  valid  claim  on  the  public  for 
pecuniary  help  to  make  it  good.  Not  only  buildings,  but 
furniture,  musical  instruments,  and  library  should  be  in- 
sured. Good  companies  should  be  selected,  the  items  of 
property  that  need  to  be  specifically  named  in  a  given 
policy  should  be  ascertained,  also  Avhat  are  the  peculiar 
conditions  of  the  policy  as  to  the  character  of  the  risk, 
forfeiture,  etc.  The  amount  of  premium  may  be  consider- 
ably lessened  by  insuring  for  three  or  five  years  instead  of 
one.  An  inventory  of  furniture,  books,  etc.,  showing 
purchase  price,  will  often  facilitate  an  equitable  settle- 
ment. Duplicates  of  the  original  purchase  bills  should  be 
kept  for  this  purpose  in  a  safe  place,  apart  from  the 
Association  rooms. 

4. — Leases. — The  leases  of  rented  portions  of  the  build- 
ing should  uniformly  be  in  writing,  and  should  carefully 
exclude  improper  occupations  and  practices,  all  statements 
being  very   specific.     Some  needful   provisions   are    that 

*  In  many  communities  it  is  customary  to  exempt  the  part  of  the  Association 
building  actually  occupied  by  the  society,  and  to  tax  the  part  rented  out  for 
income.    But  see  charter  of  New  York  City  Association,  sect.  7. 


218  BEA1,KSTATEAUDEJ,D0WMENTS.     Chap.  19  D  4 


CHAT^TER   20. 

RECORDS    AND   PUBLIC    PRESENTATION    OF    THE 

WORK. 


SECTION  A. 

RECORDS    AND    STATISTICS. 

1. — Complete  records  are  useful  in  many  ways  :  («)  they 
furnish  accurate  information  regarding  previous  transac- 
tions, Avhicli  is  often  needed,  especially  in  connection  with 
the  business  affairs  of  an  Association  ;  {h)  as  part  of  the 
history  of  an  organization  they  gain  interest  with  each 
added  year;  (c)  they  afford  an  excellent  means  of  marking 
its  growth  ;  {d)  they  are  very  helpful  in  presenting  the 
work  to  the  public. 

2. — A  complete  system  will  include  minutes  of  all  meet- 
ings of  the  Association,  its  board  of  directors,  trustees, 
and  standing  committees  ;  with  full  statistics  regarding 
the  several  departments.  To  secure  these  there  must  be 
first  a  plan,  and  then  thoroughness  in  carrying  out  its 
details.  Statistics  loosely  gathered,  or  guessed  at,  are  apt 
to  be  exaggerated  and  are  little  better  than  none.*  In 
making  up  a  report  for  publication,  specific  figures  are 
always  more  satisfactory  than  general  statements. 

3. — Suitable  record  books,  uniform  as  far  as  practicable, 
should  be  furnished  the  several  boards  and  committees. 
That  they  may  always  be  accessible,  a  desk  should  be  pro- 
vided in  the   office  where  they  may  be  kept  and  conve- 

*  See  "Unintentional  lying,"  "Watchman,"  1885,  p.  54. 


220  RECORDS,  ETC.  Cheap.  20,  A,  4. 

niently  examined  or  written  wp.  Minutes  of  meetings 
should  be  entered  promptly,  and  it  is  often  desirable  that 
a  synopsis  of  reports  and  other  j^apers  of  permanent  value 
be  copied  into  the  minute  books. 

4. — Regularity  and  promptness  in  making  reports  will 
be  stimulated  if  they  are  required  statedly  at  the  month  1}^ 
or  quarterly  meetings,  a  place  being  provided  for  them  in 
the  order  of  business.  They  should  be  complete,  concise, 
and  always  in  writing.  This  may  be  facilitated  by  a  sys- 
tem of  blanks.  These  should  be  uniform  in  size  that  they 
may  be  conveniently  filed,  and  paper  of  a  different  tint 
may  be  used  for  each  sort  of  blank,  to  aid  in  distinguish- 
ing them. 

Such  forms  maj  be  permanently  filed  in  a  binder  with 
gummed  stubs.  The  blanks  may  be  prepared  cheaply  by 
a  copying  process. 

Some  forms  are  given  in  the  appendix  (see  samples  Nos. 
22-26),  as  suggesting  matters  that  it  is  generally  desirable  to 
include.  But  the  reading,  at  every  meeting,  of  these  forms 
and  nothing  more  will  be  certain  to  kill  the  interest  and 
drive  men  away.  Life  and  freshness  must  be  added  by 
the  statement  of  incidents  in  the  work,  future  j^kans,  com- 
parisons with  former  efforts,  etc. 

5. — A  general  "statistical  register''  (see  appendix,  sam- 
ple No.  27)  is  so  valuable  for  frequent  reference  that  it 
should  be  kept  at  the  office.  Some  person  connected  with 
each  department,  class,  or  meeting,  should  be  furnished 
with  suitable  blanks  (see  samples  Nos.  28  and  29)  and  in- 
structed to  file  them  in  the  office  statedly  or  to  enter  the 
facts  on  the  secretary's  "  daily  record  "  pad  (see  sample  No. 
30),  keeping  also  a  record  for  the  committee  in  charge. 
The  secretary  will  also  enter  on  the  daily  record  the  items 
with  which  he  is  immediately  connected.  The  assistant 
will  copy  the  daily  record  into  the  statistical  register.  If 
there  is  no  assistant,  some  member  of  the  Association  may 
often  be  found  who  appreciates  the  importance  of  such 
statistics   and   will   undertake   this  dutv.     Facts  derived 


Chap.  20,  B,  2.  records,  etc.  221 

from  the  statistical  record  can  always  be  used  to  good 
advantage  in  the  annual  report;  or  an  occasional  "  com- 
parative statistical  report"  (see  sample  Xo.  31)  given  to 
members  of  the  board  at  their  meetings,  or  to  contributors 
Avho  are  interested  in  the  details  of  the  work,  or  inserted 
in  the  bulletin  or  newspapers,  may  lead  to  new  activity. 
But  the  secretary  with  a  passion  for  statistics  should  not 
allow  them  to  absorb  time  that  is  needed  in  other  direc- 
tions. 

The  attendance  at  the  Association  rooms  is  often  esti- 
mated from  an  actual  count  on  a  certain  number  of  days 
each  month.  There  should  be  a  discrimination  between 
the  number  of  visits  and  the  number  of  visitors.  More 
visitors  have  sometimes  been  reported  than  there  were 
young  men  in  the  town. 


SECTIOIsT  B. 

ANNIVERSARIES. 

1. — Attractiveness,  variety,  and  absolute  truth  ought  to 
characterize  all  efforts  connected  with  the  presentation  of 
the  work  to  the  public.  People  who  are  giving  money  to 
any  institution  have  a  right  to  know  how  it  is  expended. 
Many  others  whose  practical  sympathy  is  desired,  as  givers 
or  as  workers,  are  still  ignorant  or  unmindful  of  the  ex- 
tent or  claims  of  the  work.  They  will  be  wearied  by  too 
much  talk  and  disgusted  by  overdrawn  statements  ;  but 
real  figures  and  results  will  arrest  their  attention.  New 
features  of  work  should  be  presented  with  special  clear- 
ness, together  with  the  reasons  for  undertaking  them,  and 
accounts  of  success  in  similar  efforts  in  other  Associations. 

2. — A  2)ublic  anniversary,  distinct  from  the  annual  busi- 
ness meeting,  is  one  of  the  best  means  of  bringing  the 
work  before  the  public,  and  sliould  be  held  regularly  by 
every  Association,     In   towns   and  smaller   cities    such  a 


222  RECORDS,  ETC.  Chap.  20,  B,  3. 

meeting  is  often  held  on  Sunday,  a  union  service  in  one  or 
more  churches  being  usually  practicable,  and  a  larger 
audience  being  secured  than  on  a  week  day.  In  the  larger 
cities,  a  week  evening  and  a  public  hall  are  generally 
chosen. 

3. — There  are  various  plans  for  promoting  the  interest 
of  these  occasions.  Helpful  material  for  this  j^urpose 
may  be  collected  by  keeping  notes  of  incidents  occurring 
in  the  work,  also  by  sending  out  a  circular  to  the  members 
something  like  that  given  in  the  appendix,  sample  No.  32. 
Effort  is  made  to  secure  good  sj^eakers,  some  prominent 
man  from  abroad  being  frequently  obtained  for  the  ad- 
dress. A  method  called  the  "  Association  Day  "  is  some- 
times used  on  anniversary  and  other  occasions.  Speakers 
are  gathered  from  other  towns,  and,  together  with  local 
representatives,  are  apportioned  among  several  churches  at 
one  or  both  services,  neighboring  churches  sometimes 
uniting,  especially  in  the  evening.  The  chief  dependence 
should  be  upon  the  local  speakers,  who  sometimes  become 
intelligent  workers  from  the  interest  created  in  their  minds 
by  the  preparation  of  their  talks.  It  is  usually  best  for 
them  to  speak  in  other  churches  than  their  own.  By  this 
method  many  more  people  are  reached  and  a  wider  influ- 
ence is  exerted  than  would  be  possible  by  a  single  union 
meeting.  Of  course  these  services  are  arranged  only  with 
the  hearty  consent  and  co-operation  of  the  church  oflicers. 
It  will  often  be  best  to  vary  the  places  of  meeting  from 
year  to  year. 

4. — The  anniversary  exercises  should  be  carefully  ar- 
ranged and  not  be  too  long,  never  more  than  an  hour  and 
a  half.  This  cannot  be  accomj^lished  without  special  care, 
as  so  many  things  will  appear  to  deserve  a  place  on  the 
programme.  If  there  are  several  speakers,  each  should 
understand  the  particular  ground  he  is  to  cover  and  the 
length  of  time  he  may  occupy.  But  there  should  seldom, 
if  ever,  be  more  than  two  speakers,  and  a  single  address 
will  usually  produce  the  best  effect.     The  report  should 


Chap.  20,  B,  6.  RECORDS,  etc.  233 

be  definite  and  concise,  showing  the  past  year's  work,  the 
present  situation,  and  the  future  outlook.  The  board  is 
responsible  for  the  rej^ort  of  the  Association  to  the  com- 
munit3^  The  report  should  be  prepared  and  presented  in 
its  name  by  the  officer  or  officers  designated  by  it  for  the 
purpose.  An  explicit  financial  statement  is  important. 
The  report  should  be  approved  in  advance  by  the  board  or 
executive  committee.  Detailed  reports  of  the  officers  and 
committees  may  be  made  at  the  annual  business  meeting. 
The  music  should  be  a  feature  of  the  exercises.  A  chorus 
of  members  using  hymns  familiar  in  Association  meetings, 
especially  if  led  by  a  good  orchestra,  will  be  attractive. 
Or  the  choirs  of  several  churches  may  be  combined  for  the 
occasion.  In  any  event  the  selections  should  be  so  familiar 
as  to  induce  hearty  congregational  singing. 

5. — Preparation  should  begin  well  in  advance,  ample 
time  being  given  to  all  who  are  to  speak  or  prepare  re- 
ports. Special  effort  should  be  made  to  secure  the  presence 
of  friends  and  patrons,  and  of  others  whose  attendance 
will  be  likely  to  yield  good  results.  Personal  invitations 
from  the  officers  and  directors  will  bring  many  who  would 
not  otherwise  attend.  Platform  invitations  should  be  sent 
to  clergymen,  present  and  past  officers,  and  j^i'ominent 
friends  of  the  work.  There  should  be  a  tastefully  printed 
programme,  containing  generally  a  sketch  of  the  year's 
work,  a  financial  statement,  and  sometimes  the  hymns. 
If  the  anniversary  is  held  on  the  evening  of  a  week-day  an 
exhibition  of  the  work  accomplished  in  the  educational 
classes,  arranged  for  convenient  inspection,  will  show  the 
practical  results  in  this  department  and  may  stimulate 
larger  gifts  of  money  or  the  increase  of  the  membership. 
A  gymnastic  exhibition  may  also  be  given.  Full  reports 
in  the  newspapers  should  be  arranged  for,  the  material 
being  furnished  to  them  in  advance,  as  far  as  practicable. 

6. — In  addition  to  an  increased  know^ledge  and  interest, 
the  occasion  should  produce  definite  results  in  the  wa}^  of 
new  members  and  financial  support,  the  best  work  of  the 


224  RECORDS,  ETC.  Chap.  20,  B,  7. 

year  in  these  directions  being  often  done  in  connection 
with  the  anniversary.  Membership  applications  are  some- 
times distributed,  to  be  filled  out  and  returned  the  same 
evening  or  subsequently.  The  time  for  holding  the  anni- 
versary, which  naturall}^  comes  soon  after  the  end  of  the 
fiscal  year  of  the  Association,  is  sometimes  at  the  close  of 
the  more  active  work  in  the  spring,  or  more  frequently  in 
the  fall,  the  last  being  generally  considered  the  best  time. 
Y. — In  line  with  the  anniversary^,  and  having  some  of  its 
characteristics,  though  on  a  much  smaller  scale,  are  the 
monthly  and  quarterly  meetings.  (See  "  The  members' 
meeting,"  Chap.  9,  H.) 


SECTION  C. 

THE    PARLOR    CONFERENCE. 

1. — This  is  usually  held  at  a  private  residence,  selected 
with  reference  to  the  class  of  men  it  is  desired  to  reach. 
The  business  and  social  position  of  the  host,  in  whose 
name  the  invitation  is  issued  (see  appendix,  sample  No. 
33),  should  be  such  as  to  assure,  as  far  as  possible,  the  at- 
tendance of  those  invited.  The  conference  may  either  be 
held  at  the  tea  hour,  which  is  occasionally  chosen  to 
economize  time,  or  later  in  the  evening,  in  which  case 
refreshments  should  be  served.  The  lady  of  the  house  will 
ordinarily  prefer  to  do  this,  or  it  may  be  managed  by  the 
Association.  At  tea,  or  if  refreshments  are  served  early, 
the  company  may  sometimes  remain  at  table  during  the 
entire  meetino-. 

2. — The  special  purpose  of  the  gathering  is  to  bring 
some  department  or  interest  of  Association  work  to  the 
attention  of  business  men  who  are  not  accessible  by  ordi- 
nary methods,  under  pleasant  social  surroundings  and  free 
from  business  distractions.  Many  a  man  has  given  more 
thought  to  the  work  and  gained  a  more  intelligent  inter- 


Chap.  20,  D,  1.  RECORDS,  etc.  225 

est  in  it  during  such  an  hour  than  in  his  whole  previous 
life.  The  conference  is  sometimes  used  as  the  means  of 
organizing  an  Association,  securing  a  secretary,  inaugurat- 
ing a  building  enterprise,  or  of  presenting  phases  of  the 
state  or  international  work.  Sometimes  the  presence  of 
prominent  men  from  out  of  town  is  secured  as  an  addi- 
tional attraction. 

3. — The  most  successful  conference  is  conducted  in  a 
thoroughly  informal  manner,  and  yet  there  must  be  pre- 
paration as  to  every  detail.  An  efficient  chairman  is  pro- 
vided, picked  men  from  the  Association  are  on  hand  to 
assist,  and  a  programme  is  so  arranged  as  to  bring  out  the 
desired  matters  clearly,  forcibly,  and  concisely.  An  hour 
and  a  half  is  generally  the  maximum  length  of  such  a 
meeting. 

4. — It  is  not  considered  wise  to  ask  for  contributions  at 
the  conferences,  but  a  list  should  be  made  of  the  persons 
in  attendance,  and  the  financial  needs  of  the  work  should 
be  presented  to  them  while  the  matter  is  fresh  in  their 
minds,  and,  if  possible,  by  some  member  of  the  Associa- 
tion who  attended  the  conference. 

5. — It  is  customary  to  hold  parlor  conferences  or  recep- 
tions in  connection  with  conventions,  for  delegates  inter- 
ested in  particular  lines  of  work.  (See  "  Parlor  conferences 
during  conventions,"  Chap.  31,  E,  3,  g.) 


SECTION  D. 

PRINTED     MATTER. 

1. — The  Bulletin. — a.  Association  periodicals  have  al- 
ways been  popular.  Monthly  papers  of  considerable  size 
were  formerly  common,  and  some  of  them  were  continued 
for  eight  or  ten  years.  But  the  development  of  "The 
Watchman  "  (now  the  "  Young  Men's  Era  "),  which  was 
originally  a   monthly  of  the  Chicago  Association,  into  a 


226  RECORDS,  ETC.  Chap.  20,  D,  1. 

representative  of  the  work  at  large,  together  with  the  fact 
that  the  local  papers  just  referred  to  cost  too  much  time 
and  money,  has  led  to  the  discontinuance  of  most  of  them. 

h.  The  practical  needs  of  the  local  work  are  now  sup- 
plied by  what  is  popularly  known  as  the  "  bulletin,"  over 
two  hundred  being  published  regularly  by  the  American 
Associations.  It  is  usually  a  monthly  of  from  four  to 
twelve  pages,  ranging  in  size  from  six  by  nine  to  eight  by 
eleven  inches.  The  latter  size  is  coming  into  general 
favor,  and  is  recommended  for  adoption,  uniformity  being 
desirable  both  for  filing  and  binding.  The  model  bulletin 
appears  regularly  at  the  appointed  times,  is  neatly  printed, 
is  free  from  extravagant  expressions  or  grammatical  errors, 
and  is  filled  with  Association  7iews,  local  or  general,  its 
limited  space  affording  no  room  for  miscellaneous  and  ir- 
relevant matter.  Routine  announcements  and  lists  of 
officers  are  given  as  little  room  as  possible,  not  on  the  first 
page,  and  advertisements  are  placed  on  pages  by  them- 
selves. The  latter  can  usually  be  made  to  meet  the  cost 
of  publication,  but  there  should  be  care  as  to  the  class  of 
advertisements  admitted.  The  bulletin  ought  to  be  issued 
by  vote  of  the  board,  and  with  its  business  details  under 
the  management  of  a  competent  committee.  The  secretary 
is  usually  the  editor. 

c.  The  practical  benefit  derived  from  the  bulletin 
will  depend  largely  upon  its  circulation.  Every  mem- 
ber and  patron,  and  as  many  as  possible  of  the  young 
men  of  the  community,  should  be  supplied  with  it,  also 
persons  able  to  aid  the  work,  but  hitherto  uninterested.  It 
is  customary  to  have  a  subscription  price,*  usually  twenty- 
five  cents,  but  this  should  not  be  allowed  to  hinder  its 
general  circulation.  Common  honesty  requires  that 
neither  the  letter  nor  spirit  of  the  postal  laws  be  evaded 
in  sending  out  the  bulletin  by  mail. 

*  Some  Associations  ask  all  persons  joining  to  add  the  bulletin  subscription 
to  their  membership  fee,  placing  this  request  on  the  application  blank.  In 
many  cases  all  general  announcements  to  members  are  made  through  the 
bulletin, 


Chap.  20,  D,  3.  records,  ETC.  227 

2. — Amiiial  reports^  etc—a.  Most  Associations  em- 
ploying a  general  secretary  publish  an  annual  report. 
Every  effort  should  be  made  to  issue  it  within  thirty  days 
after  the  anniversary^  It  generally  contains,  in  addition 
to  the  indispensable  financial  statement  and  list  of  contri- 
butions, a  single  report  on  belialf  of  the  Association,  and 
sometimes  statements  from  various  officers  and  standing 
committees.  Such  a  pamphlet  is  desirable  in  addition  to 
an}^  newspaper  notices  of  the  anniversary,  however  com- 
plete the  latter  may  be.  It  is  in  better  form  for  judicious 
distribution,  is  more  apt  to  attract  attention,  and  is  con- 
venient for  preservation  and  reference.  If  the  Associa- 
tion is  obliged  to  economize,  a  small  pamphlet  may  be 
printed  cheaply  by  re-arranging  the  type  used  in  a  news- 
paper report.  A  concise  report  of  a  few  pages  may  re- 
ceive fully  as  much  notice  as  a  more  pretentious  pamphlet. 
It  should  be  sent  to  the  pastors,  to  contributors  and 
prominent  citizens,  to  the  working  members  (and,  if  prac- 
ticable, to  all  the  members),  to  the  historical  libraries  of 
the  Associations  and  to  prominent  public  libraries  in 
the  state,  to  the  officers  of  the  State  and  International 
Committees,  and  to  Associations  with  which  an  exchange 
is  desired. 

h.  A  prospectus,  issued  early  in  the  fall,  and  containing 
the  fall  and  winter  announcements,  is  very  helpful.  It 
should  be  simply  an  outline  of  the  privileges,  fitted  for  the 
vest  pocket,  and  with  some  novelty  in  design  or  con- 
tents to  render  it  attractive.  Time  tables,  local  direc- 
tories, hints  on  exercise,  etc.,  are  used  for  this  purpose. 
The  prospectus  should  be  distributed  very  widely.  The 
expense  of  publication  of  the  prospectus,  and  also  of  the 
report,  can  usually  be  met  by  a  few  advertisements.  In 
many  Associations  the  recent  growth  of  summer  work  ne- 
cessitates the  publication  of  a  spring  prospectus  also. 

c.  The  local  newspapers  are  usually  open  for  brief, 
pointed  items  on  Association  work,  and  bring  it  before 
many  readers  v/ho  would  not  be  reached  by  the  means  al- 


228  RECORDS,  ETC.  Chap.  20,  D,  2. 

ready  mentioned.     Paid  advertisements  will  also  be  fre- 
quently needed. 

d,  "The  Watchman"  was  established  in  IS'ZS,  and 
made  a  weekly  in  1889,  its  name  being  changed  in  1890  to 
the  "Young  Men's  Era."  It  is  the  generally  recognized 
medium  of  communication  among  the  American  Associa- 
tions. It  gives  current  news  from  the  Avhole  field,  and 
discussions  of  methods  and  results  by  some  of  the  most 
successful  workers.  Effort  should  be  made  by  Association 
men  generally  to  increase  its  circulation. 

e.  The  international  and  state  reports  are  valuable 
sources  of  information.  The  statistical  tables,  growing 
more  full  and  complete  from  year  to  year,  give  good  evi- 
dence of  the  extent  and  helpful  character  of  the  work. 
These  reports  should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  thinking 
men.  Many  of  the  facts  and  figures  given  in  them  are  also 
printed  in  condensed  form  for  more  general  circulation;  and 
some  of  the  more  important  papers  read  at  conventions  are 
reprinted  in  tracts  and  leaflets.  A  selection  suited  to  a 
given  locality  or  purpose  may  readily  be  made,  and  a  large 
amount  of  helpful  information  be  scattered  among  the 
people  at  trifling  outlay.  Such  an  one  as  ISTo.  697,  "An 
Association  '  Useful  and  deserving  of  encouragement  and 
support,'  "  containing  testimonies  from  distinguished  men 
to  the  value  of  Association  work,  might  well  be  enclosed  in 
letters  asking  for  or  acknowledging  contributions.  Lists 
of  such  publications  can  be  obtained  by  application  to  the 
International  Committee. 


CHAPITER  21. 

THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK,'' 

Some  one  has  well  said  that  Bible  study  gives  workers- 
willing,  enthusiastic,  consecrated,  strong,  intelligent,  skilled, 
and  armed. 

If  the  mind  is  well  stored  with  Scripture  truth,  this  truth 
will  be  ready  for  use,  and  will  be  suggested  when  needed, 
brought  out  by  the  natural  laws  of  association,  and  brought 
to  remembrance  also  by  the  Spirit. 

For  successful  study  of  the  Bible  will  be  needed  a 
settled  conviction  that  it  is  the  word  of  God,  a  percep- 
tion of  Christ  as  its  great  center,  the  aid  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  prayer,  and  a  recognition  of  its  personal  bearing. 


SECTION  A. 

INDIVIDUAL     STUDY. 

1. — The  time  and  place  for  any  close  study  should  be 
chosen  with  reference  to  favorable  mental  condition  on 
the  part  of  the  student,  and  freedom  from  interruption. 
Though  one  may  possibly  educate  himself  to  think  amid 
noise  and  confusion,  better  v/ork  may  be  done  with  quiet 
surroundings.  Neither  should  there  be  a  feeling  of  hurry. 
The  morning  is  usually  the  best  time  for  clear  thought. 
A  pleasant  study  room  is  desirable,  with  needed  helps  at 
hand  and  a  lock  on  the  door.  As  far  as  possible  there 
should  be  stated  hours  for  study. 
*  This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  59. 


230  THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.      Chap.  21,  A,  ^. 

2. — The  general  purposes  or  objects  of  study  may  be 
classified,  for  convenience  of  future  reference,  under  three 
heads  : 

a.  Devotionaly  to  feed  and  build  up  one's  own  spiritual 
nature.  In  order  to  continued  life  and  growth  there  must 
be  nourishment,  and  the  true  sj^iritual  food  is  God's  word. 
I.  Pet.ii:  2  ;  Matt,  iv:  4. 

b.  Systematic,  to  acquire  general  biblical  knowledge. 
A  thorough  and  all-sided  study  of  the  Bible  is  needed,  and 
every  young  worker  should  start  out  with  a  settled  deter- 
mination to  master,  as  fully  as  possible,  not  only  the  word 
itself,  but  all  helpful  collateral  knowledge. 

c.  Practical,  to  prepare  for  specific  duties,  such  as 
giving  a  Bible  reading,  conducting  a  training  class,  or  deal- 
ing with  inquirers.  If  the  student  possesses  the  requisite 
general  knowledge,  his  work  y/ill  mainly  be  to  arrange  a 
certain  portion  of  this  knowledge  so  as  to  adapt  it  to  the 
particular  line  of  effort. 

3. — Methods  and  Helps.  —  a.  A  study  of  the  Bible 
may  well  be  prefaced  by  reading  it  through  in  course. 
This  gives  a  helpful  view  of  the  unity  underlying  its  great 
diversity,  and  of  the  order  and  relation  of  its  parts.  These 
broader  thoughts  should  be  kept  constantly  in  mind  in  the 
reading.  An  edition  of  the  Bible  arranged  in  chronologi- 
cal order  is  especially  adapted  to  consecutive  reading, 
giving  a  more  intelligent  idea  of  the  relations  of  historical 
characters  and  events  than  will  be  obtained  otherwise.  A 
good  Bible  history  would  also  be  helpful. 

b.  Methods  will  be  governed  largely  by  the  purpose  of 
the  study.  For  devotional  objects  they  should  not  be  arbi- 
trary. Usuall}^  a  selection  of  Scripture  may  be  read,  with 
prayer  and  meditation.  The  study  may  be  profitably  con- 
fined to  such  passages  as  seem  spiritually  significant,  or 
fitted  to  personal  and  present  needs.  Often  a  spiritual 
diagnosis  may  well  precede  the  selection  of  a  Scripture 
prescription.  A  generally  consecutive  course  of  reading  is 
often  preferred.     The  psalms,  or  the  prophetic  writings, 


Chap.  21,  A,  3.    THE  BIBLE  m  association  work.  231 

or  the  New  Testament  will  usually  be  chosen.  In  addition 
to  this,  a  verse  (something,  perhaps,  that  has  attracted 
special  attention  while  reading  the  Scripture)  may  be  made 
each  day  a  topic  of  thought  and  conversation,  as  occasion 
offers,  till  it  is  thoroughly  digested,  memorized,  and  its 
location  fixed  in  the  mind.  The  text  may  be  written  on  a 
card,  and  placed  where  it  will  be  in  sight,  or  within  easy 
reach.  If  it  have  some  bearing  on  the  practical  duties  or 
mental  exercises  of  the  day,  so  much  the  better.  Besides 
present  benefits,  this  plan  will  fix  in  the  memory  a  large 
number  of  "  golden  texts  "  every  year. 

c.  Either  one  of  four  methods  of  consecutive  study  may 
be  used  in  a  systematic  course  :  (l)  By  epochs,  taking  an 
historical  basis.  Natural  divisions  will  suggest  themselves, 
or  one  of  those  already  in  use  may  be  taken.  Among 
them  is  the  following  :  from  the  creation  to  the  call  of 
Abraham,  to  the  Exodus,  to  the  dedication  of  the  temple 
of  Solomon,  to  the  captivity,  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  to  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  (2)  By 
biographical  ceiiters,  taking  the  chief  characters  of  the 
Bible,  such  as  Abraham,  Moses,  Elijah,  Paul,  and  grouping 
about  the  study  of  their  lives,  in  chronological  order, 
related  events  and  teachings.  (3)  By  hooks.  The  Bible 
is  a  collection  of  books,  many  of  them  being  as  complete 
as  those  in  any  other  library.  Every  book  of  the  Bible 
has  its  distinctive  features  as  to  historical  circumstances, 
scope,  and  style,  which  make  its  study,  separately  and  as  a 
whole,  intensely  interesting  and  profitable.  Especially  do 
the  Epistles  illustrate  the  necessity  of  studying  a  book  in 
its  entirety.  Like  other  letters,  they  must  be  read  through 
to  get  the  complete  meaning  of  the  writer.  No  system- 
atic course  will  be  complete  without  a  more  or  less  criti- 
cal study  of  the  Bible  by  books.*  (4)  By  related  groups 
of  hooks.  The  Bible  contains  many  books  that  need  to 
be   studied  together,   e.g.,  the  group   of  historical  books 

*  See  "  The  Study  of  the  Bible  by  Books/'  by  John  A.  Broadus,  D.D.    Int. 
pph.  No.  8. . 


^3^  THE  BIBLE  l:?^^  ASSOCIATION  WORK.     Chap.  ^1,  A,  So 

from  Genesis  to  Joshua,  or  from  Judges  to  II.  Kings,  the 
books  of  wisdom  (Job,  Proverbs,  Canticles  and  Ecclesi- 
astes),  the  Gospels,  the  E^jistles  of  Paul,  etc.  Each  one  of 
such  a  group  casts  light  upon  all  the  others. 

d.  In  the  study  of  doctrines,  especially,  the  topical 
method  is  often  employed.  Bible  truth,  like  gold,  is  often 
found  in  veins  ;  so  the  richest  mining  must  follow  the 
*'  lead."  Whether  the  thought  be  faith,  repentance,  or 
the  atonement,  the  pure  nuggets  of  truth  may  be  extracted 
here  and  there,  all  the  way  from  Genesis  to  Revelation. 

e.  In  addition  to  the  foregoing  methods,  which  relate 
rather  to  the  subject  matter  and  the  order  of  study,  there 
are  others  which  emphasize  the  process  of  investigation. 
(1)  Analysis  picks  the  subject  to  pieces,  separating  its 
parts,  that  they  may  be  examined  one  by  one.  A  simple 
analysis  of  a  ScrijDture  passage  will  usually  include  the 
persons,  places,  time,  and  events  mentioned,  and  the  things 
taught.  These  last  may  embrace  both  doctrines  and 
duties,  and  these  again  may  be  classified  into  what  relates 
to  self,  to  man,  and  to  God.  There  may  also  be  added 
word-studies  and  the  connection  of  the  events  in  any  nar- 
rative. The  power  of  accurate,  clear,  and  rapid  analysis  is 
worthy  of  studious  cultivation.*  (2)  Comparison  will  be 
constantly  used  in  systematic  study.  Events  in  the  Old 
Testament  are  compared  with  others  in  the  New;  prophe- 
cies with  their  fulfillment ;  types  with  antitypes  ;  A^arious 

*  The  following  illustrations  are  from  Dr.  Vincent's  '•  Normal  Guide  "  : 

AN   ANALYTICAL   OUTLINE. 

1.— V/ords  and  phrases.    (Present  and  original  meaning  and  siguiflcanoe.) 
2. — Historical  elements  : 

a.  Persons. 

6.  Places. 

c.  Actions  and  expressions. 

d.  Time. 

e.  Connection  of  events,  biblical  and  profane. 
/.  Peculiarities  of  manners  and  customs. 

g.  The  supernatural — miracles. 
3. — Doctrinal  elements. 
4.— Practical  elements. 


A  LETTER  KEY.      P.P.P.P.D.D.D.D 

Parallel  passages.  (Comparison.) 

Persons.  (Biographical.) 

Places.  (Geographical.) 

Peculiarities.  (Archaeological. 


Dates.  (Chronological.) 

Doings.  (Historical.) 

Doctrines.  (Theological.) 

Duties.  (Practical.) 


Chap.  31,  A,  3.      THE  BIBLE  IX  ASSOCIATION  WORK.  23o 

connections  of  the  same  word,  narratives  of  the  same 
event  by  different  writers,  or  similar  occurrences  at  different 
times  are  compared  with  one  another,  and  so  on.  (3)  The 
inductive  method,  comprehending  tlie  others  named,  is  well 
illustrated  in  a  series  of  studies  in  a  current  periodical.* 
The  student  may  be  greatly  aided  by  familiarity  with 
this  system,  which  is  also  well  adapted  to  advanced  class 
work. 

f.  Helps  to  Bible  interpretation  may  be  classified  as 
follows  :  (1)  Mechanical.  Such  are  the  marginal  refer- 
ences and  notes,  the  concordances,  Bible  text  books,  espe- 
cially the  one  published  by  the  American  Tract  Society, 
indexes,  etc.,  which  are  valuable  time-saving  appliances. 
(2)  Illustrative.  Of  this  class  are  books  giving  facts 
about  the  Bible,  its  construction  and  contents,  and  about 
the  countries,  peoples,  customs,  etc.,  of  Bible  times.  These 
include  Bible  histories,  contemporary  history  of  all  kinds, 
the  history  of  the  books  of  the  Bible,  sacred  geography, 
biography,  and  archaeology,  and  the  natural  history  of 
Bible  lands  ;  to  which  may  be  added  books  of  travel  and 
research,  maps,  charts,  and  pictures.  A  good  Bible  dic- 
tionary Avill  give  much  of  this  information  in  an  abridged 
form.  Familiarity  with  the  original  languages  will  aid 
critical  study,  but  without  it  a  considerable  knowledge  of 
their  idioms  and  figures  may  be  obtained.  A  careful  com- 
parison of  the  different  English  versions  will  be  helpful,  in 
which  the  present  Revised  Version,  with  its  margin,  will  be 
altogether  the  most  valuable,  as  it  is  very  close  to  the  orig- 
inal. (3)  Exegetical  and  expository.  This  class  comprises 
commentaries  and  other  books  of  an  expository  character  ; 

*"The  Old  and  New  Testament  Student, ■"  New  Haven,  Conn.,  edited  by- 
Prof.  Wm.  R.  Harper,  Ph.D.     The  following  is  a  sample  outline: 

1. — The  material  analyzed. 

2. — The  material  compared. 

3.— The  material  explained. 

a.  Textual  topics  and  questions. 
6.  Special  topics. 

4.— The  material  organized.    (Classified.) 

5.— The  material  applied. 

This  analysis  is  found  in  the  series  of  lessons  on  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  in  "  The 
Old  and  New  Testament  Student,'' Vol.  VIII.,  '88  and  '89.  Other  outlines  are 
used  ia  the  series  since  published. 


234  TSE  BIBLE  IN  Association  work.    Chap.  21,  A,  3. 

also,  many  works  on  the  doctrines,  on  the  evidences,  and 
on  the  science  of  Bible  interpretation.  There  are  also 
valuable  writings  that  combine  the  exegetical  and  illustra- 
tive features.  Commentaries  differ  widely  in  scope  and 
character.  Some,  like  Lange's  Commentary,  are  so  critical 
and  exhaustive,  that  they  are  suited  only  for  scholars  ; 
some,  like  the  Cambridge  Bible,  or  the  Bible  Commentary, 
being  intended  for  more  popular  use,  are  helpfully  critical, 
but  lay  special  stress  on  a  thorough  understanding  of  the 
text  ;  others  are  mainly  practical.  These  invaluable  works 
embody  the  researches  of  the  wisest  and  best  men  of  the 
Church.  Each  student  must  select  his  commentaries  with 
a  view  to  the  'results  he  is  seeking,  bearing  in  mind  that 
the  cost  is  no  criterion  of  value,  that  a  first  rate  introduc- 
tion is  half  of  the  commentary,  and  that  a  profusion  of 
homiletical  hints  is  of  little  value  to  a  thoughtful  man. 

g.  The  following  suggestions  are  given  regarding  the 
use  of  helps  :  (1)  In  devotional  study  use  the  Bible  only, 
with  prayer  and  meditation.  (2)  ^  In  systeynatic  study  all 
classes  of  illustrative  helps  should  be  used  in  securing  as 
broad  and  thorough  information  as  possible.  The  aim  of 
the  student  should  be  to  get  into  the  atmosphere  of  the 
times,  to  put  himself  in  the  place  of  the  author,  as  far 
as  possible,  and  see  why  he  wrote  as  he  did — why  this 
history  was  written,  to  whom  this  prophetic  sermon  was 
delivered,  under  what  circumstances  this  psalm  was  com- 
posed, what  occasioned  this  epistle,  etc.  Such  information 
is  usually  the  key  to  judicious  interpretation.  The  student 
should  also  get  an  intelligent  understanding  of  cardinal 
doctrines  and  of  the  common  theological  errors  and  differ- 
ences, with  as  much  general  exegetical  knowledge  as  he  can. 
Especially  should  he  become  familiar  with  the  book 
itself,  or  the  group  of  books,  on  which  he  is  at  work.  He 
should  aim  to  master  a  general  outline  of  its  thought,  so  as 
to  be  able  to  refer  confidently  to  the  thought  of  the  whole 
book  or  section,  or  to  that  of  any  chapter  in  the  book. 
He  should  also  get  the   location  of  important  texts,  and 


Chap.  21,  B,  3o    the  bible  in  association  work.  235 

learn  the  art  of  rapid  reference  and  accurate  quotation. 
(3)  In  practical  study  there  should  be  first  independent, 
devout,  patient,  and  intense  thought,  including  careful 
comparison  of  Scripture  with  Scripture.  After  such  study, 
and  only  after  such  study,  helps  are  appropriate  and 
useful.  Such  a  knowledge  of  the  helps  themselves  is 
needed  as  will  enable  the  person  to  readily  find  that  for 
which  he  is  searching. 

h.  Every  Association  library  should  contain  as  many 
such  helps  as  possible,  and  the  librarian  or  secretary  should 
make  effort  to  bring  them  to  the  attention  of  the  members. 


SECTION  B. 

CLASS    STUDY.* 

1. — A  Bible  class  indispensable. —  Every  Association, 
however  weak,  should  aim  to  have  a  stated  gathering  of 
young  men  to  study  together  the  word  of  God.  Even  if 
many  of  the  desirable  features  here  mentioned  are  lacking, 
even  if  a  competent  teacher  cannot  at  first  be  found,  such  a 
meeting  will  greatly  promote  the  spiritual  growth  of  the 
members,  and  bind  them  together  in  Christian  fellowship 
and  service.  A  leader  will  be  developed  from  among 
them,  if  the  work  is  undertaken  with  the  best  material 
at  hand  and  in  a  spirit  of  consecration. 

2. — delation  of  the  general  secretary, — He  will  give  his 
best  attention  to  the  promotion  of  Bible  study  in  the 
Association  he  serves.  He  should  teach  at  least  one  of  the 
classes,  both  for  his  own  Christian  growth  amid  the  variety 
and  business  activity  of  his  work,  and  to  help  him  in 
getting  a  personal  hold  upon  the  young  men  —those  who 
are  already  efficient  on  committees  and  those  who  give 
promise  of  becoming  so. 

3. — The   subject   is    here   treated    under   three   general 

*  For  historical  items,  see  Chap.  3,  F.  15. 


^36  THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOClATlOlf  WORK.     Chap.  ^1,  B,  t 


divisions,  the  beginners'  and  advanced  Bible  classes  and 
I  lie  training  class.  Subdivisions,  combinations,  and  modi- 
fications must  be  made  as  needed.  Where  only  one  class 
can  be  held,  it  is  desirable  to  admit  those  who  are  not 
Christians^  when  the  class  must  be  largely  evangelistic. 
The  evangelistic  class,  in  some  respects  the  most  important 
of  all,  is  treated  in  section  C,  2,  of  this  chapter.  Workers 
must  discriminate  among  the  suggestions  in  the  present 
section,  which  are  general,  and  adapt  them  to  their  own 
fields. 

a.  The  begiuiiers*  class  is  composed  of  recent  converts, 
including,  perhaps,  some  who  may  still  be  termed  in- 
quirers. The  objects  sought  will  be  to  bring  out  and  build 
up  Christian  purpose,  indoctrinate  in  the  simple  and  fun- 
damental truths  of  the  Bible,  and  give  practical  instruction, 
drawn  from  God's  Avord,  regarding  conduct.  That  the 
class  may  not  lose  its  distinctive  character,  it  is  usual  to 
promote  its  members  to  a  more  general  class  at  the  close 
of  their  first  year,  or  whenever  they  are  evidently  fitted 
for  it. 

b.  The  advanced  class  will  include  any  of  the  active 
members,  with  those  promoted  from  the  beginners'  class,  and 
possibly  some  young  men  who  are  not  members  of  the 
Association.  Its  objects  will  be  similar  to  those  of  the 
class  just  described,  taking  into  account  the  difference  in 
age  and  experience.  Stronger  food  can  be  digested,  and 
more  difficult  and  advanced  ground  traversed. 

c.  The  workers'*  training  class,  as  nov/  conducted,  is 
believed  to  have  originated  with  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association.  The  object  is  the  systematic  and  practi- 
cal study  of  the  Scriptures  as  a  preparation  for  Christian 
work,  especially  in  the  use  of  the  word  itself  in  dealing 
with  the  unconverted.  To  this  is  often  added  the  study 
of  methods  in  all  the  various  lines  of  Association 
work.  It  is  generally  composed  of  picked  men,  who  have 
passed,  perhaps,  through  other  classes,  and  enter  this  as  an 
advanced  or  supplemental  course. 


Chap.  31,  B,  4    the  bible  in  association  work.  237 

4. —  Time,placey  and  appliances. — The  time  should  be 
selected  with  reference  to  the  convenience  of  the  class, 
that  being  the  best  which  will  secure  the  largest  and  most 
regular  attendance.  Sunday  afternoon  being  usually  pre- 
empted for  the  young  men's  meeting,  it  is  often  advisable 
to  hold  the  Bible  classes  on  week  evenings.  It  is  some- 
times practicable  to  have  a  class  just  before  or  after  the 
above  service.  In  the  latter  case,  a  plain  tea  may  be  pro- 
vided, to  hold  the  members  together  socially  and  to  econ- 
omize their  time.  A  class  may  be  held  early  Sunday 
morning,  an  especially  pleasant  hour  during  the  summer. 
A  week  evening  is  usually  preferred  for  the  training 
class. 

The  place  should  be  one  of  the  Association  rooms — if 
possible,  an  attractive  and  well-lighted  apartment,  reason- 
bly  quiet,  and  not  liable  to  intrusion  during  class  hours. 
The  model  arrangement,  for  a  class  of  moderate  size,  in- 
cludes a  long,  roomy  table,  with  fixed  cover,  so  that  the 
students  sit  facing  one  another  and  the  teacher.  The  table 
is  convenient  for  writing,  and  for  holding  the  books  of  the 
members  and  any  works  of  reference  for  general  use.  A 
movable  black-board  is  needed.  One  of  silicate  and  with 
a  standard  frame  is  best,  and  when  in  use  should  be  placed 
at  the  teacher's  end  of  the  room,  where  all  may  see  it  with- 
out changing  seats.  A  set  of  Scripture  maps  should  adorn 
the  walls,  and  when  needed  for  class  use  may  be  displayed 
from  the  black-board  frame.  Many  instructive  charts 
have  been  published,  and  an  ingenious  teacher  will  be  able 
to  originate  and  prepare  various  helpful  things  in  this  line, 
to  illustrate  and  fix  in  the  mind  the  historical  facts  and 
truths  of  the  lessons.  A  case  of  reference  books  is  an  ex- 
cellent feature  of  such  a  class  room.  A  system  of  small 
contributions  from  each  member  at  each  session  of  the 
class  will  secure,  in  a  few  years,  most  things  desirable  in 
this  direction,  including  many  works  that  few  individual 
members  would  be  able  to  own  or  gain  access  to  elsewhere. 
Although  each  student  will  be  expected  to  have  a  Bible 


238  'J^HE  BIBLE  IK  ASSOCIATION  WORK.     Chap.  21,  B,  5. 

and  note  book  of  his  own,  still  an  emergency  stock  of 
Bibles  and  stationery  should  be  kept  on  hand. 

5. — The  teacher. — A  successful  teacher  must  have  an  ac- 
quaintance with,  and  an  appreciation  of,  the  Bible;  a  deep 
personal  experience  of  its  truth  and  power;  and  native 
tact,  enabling  him  to  make  clear  to  others  what  he  knows 
himself.  Mental  acumen,  readiness  of  speech,  easy  man- 
ners, self-command,  are  good  points.  He  should  be  a  safe 
and  reliable  man,  well  grounded  in  doctrine,  not  liable  to 
lead  astray,  nor  to  swing  oif  on  any  fanciful  tangent.  He 
must  steadily  insist  that  the  points  of  difference  between 
the  evangelical  denominations  be  kept  in  the  background. 
He  should  have  experience  in  Christian  work,  and  particu- 
larly in  Association  work,  so  that  he  will  lead  his  class  to 
realize  the  need  there  is  for  special  effort  by  young  men 
for  young  men.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  he 
must  be  strictly  correct  in  his  daily  life,  and  that  he  must 
be  a  man  of  prayer  and  of  quick  sympathies,  if  he  is  to  ex- 
pect the  deeper  results.  A  teacher  should  be  well  read  in 
all  that  pertains  to  his  department,  keeping  up  with  the 
times  and  ahead  of  his  class.  He  should  be  an  observer 
and  collector,  carrying  a  thought  of  his  work  in  a  snug 
corner  of  his  heart  all  the  week.  He  should  study  the  in- 
dividuals of  his  class,  that  he  may  adapt  his  teaching  to 
them.  He  should  know  them  outside  the  class,  having  an 
interest  in  their  daily  lives  ;  greeting  them  on  the  street; 
inviting  them,  if  possible,  to  his  home;  and  making  them 
realize  that  his  friendship  is  not  merely  professional.  If 
he  cannot  do  all  this,  on  account  of  the  size  of  the  class  or 
any  other  good  reason,  he  will  have  it  done  by  his  helpers, 
under  his   direction  and  with  frequent  reports  to  himself. 

Q.^—The  class. — The  composition  of  the  different  classes 
is  sufficiently  stated  at  the  beginning  of  the  section.  The 
size  of  a  class  will  sometimes  need  limitation.  The  maxi- 
mum number  for  a  training  class  is  usually  from  twelve 
to  twenty.  A  larger  number  might  better  be  divided  into 
two  or  more  classes.    In  fact,  more  satisfactory  results  may 


Chap.  21,  B,  7.    the  bible  in  association  work.  239 

always  be  expected  with  a  small  class.  A  class  organiza- 
tion is  desirable,  with  regularly  enrolled  membership  and 
a  class  secretary,  who  will  keep  the  attendance  and  other 
items  of  interest  in  a  permanent  record  book.  It  will  often 
be  advisable  to  consult  the  class  as  to  the  course  of  lessons 
and  other  matters  of  mutual  concern.  Let  the  members 
feel  that  it  is  our  class.  Organization  may  also  be  useful 
in  securing  additional  members,  and  in  looking  after 
absentees.  Each  member  should  have  his  own  Bible,  the 
best  he  can  afford,  and  a  convenient  note  book.  It  is  poor 
economy  to  attempt  any  course  of  Bible  study  without  a 
systematic  plan  of  notes.  The  members  of  the  class  should 
study  their  lessons.  Some  may  have  more  time  and  better 
opportunities  than  others,  but  seldom  can  any  one  plead  a 
valid  excuse  for  coming  wholly  unprepared.  In  the  train- 
ing class  it  is  customary  to  pledge  not  only  regular  at- 
tendance, but  a  certain  amount  of  study,  each  member 
stating  the  number  of  hours  he  has  spent  in  prepara- 
tion as  his  response  at  roll  call.  With  or  without  the 
pledge,  there  should  be  conscientious  regularity  in  attend- 
ance, and  in  time  and  thought  given  to  the  study  of  the 
lesson. 

7. —  The  topics. — a.  For  the  beginners'  clasSy  the  topics 
must  be  simple,  embodying  the  rudimentary  elements  of 
Christian  character  and  conduct.  The  Gospels  will  be 
chosen  most  frequently,  but  many  other  portions  of  Scrip- 
ture give  practical  and  definite  instruction  in  the  desired 
channels.  Such  subjects  as  temptation — how  to  avoid, 
resist  and  recover  from  its  influence  ;  the  associations  of  a 
young  Christian;  little  sins;  prayer;  reading  the  Scriptures; 
work  for  others;  purity  of  thought  and  action;  growth  in 
grace;  church  privileges  and  duties;  etc.,  maybe  so  treated 
as  to  be  an  invaluable  aid  to  the  young  disciple.  It  may 
often  be  best  not  to  follow  a  consecutive  course  of  study 
with  this  class,  the  more  essential  point  being  to  present 
in  their  natural  order  the  most  important  and  practical 
things  in  connection  with  the  early  Chrstian  life. 


240  THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.      Chap.  21,  B,  8. 

h.  In  the  young  meii's  Bible  class  a  consecutive  course 
may  be  taken  up,  any  one  of  those  mentioned  in  the  third 
paragraph  of  the  preceding  section  being  adopted.  The 
treatment  of  the  text  will  be  practical  and  personal,  rather 
than  critical ;  the  historical  facts  and  even  the  doctrines 
will  not  be  made  prominent,  being  rather  tht  frames  with- 
in and  through  which  effects  and  results  may  be  advan- 
tageously exhibited.  Such  a  course,  even  if  generally 
consecutive,  cannot  in  any  sense  exhaust  the  meaning  of 
the  text,  but  can  take  up  only  the  salient  and  practical 
points.  Sometimes  the  parables,  the  miracles,  or  the  dis- 
courses of  Christ  are  taken  in  order,  making  a  very  profit- 
able series  of  lessons.  The  life  of  Paul,  including,  as  it 
will  necessarily,  more  or  less  of  his  epistles,  will  be  in- 
tensely interesting  though  better  adapted  to  a  somewhat 
advanced  class.  A  course  of  lessons  should  be  thoroughly 
outlined  at  the  beginning,  and  so  planned  as  to  have  both 
variety  and  comprehensiveness. 

c.  For  training  class  topics  see  **  Notes  on  the 
Workers'  Training  Class,"  ]N"o.  10  of  this  section. 

8. — Preparing  the  lesson. — The  teacher  should  begin 
the  study  of  the  lesson  early  in  the  week.  At  least  he 
should  read  the  text  carefully,  get  an  idea  of  the  teaching 
outlines,  and,  if  possible,  commit  the  more  important  parts 
to  memory.  Carry  a  pocket  note  book  and  j^ut  down 
thoughts  as  they  come.  Get  the  mind  fully  saturated  with 
the  subject.  Let  the  reading  of  the  week  be  largely  along 
helpful  lines.  Do  not  forget  to  pray  much,  and  to  expect 
the  Spirit's  guidance.  **To  pray  well  is  to  work  well," 
says  Luther.  Go  over  the  passage  word  by  word,  clause 
by  clause,  with  careful  comparison.  Get  also  the  general 
bearing  or  drift  of  the  lesson — the  deep  central  truths  it 
teaches — which  must  be  kept  strictly  in  mind.  *'  Until  one 
rightly  unwinds  the  clue  of  thought,  he  cannot  teach  any 
passage  in  its  entirety."  Difficult  doctrinal  points  should 
be  noted.  Acquire  the  habit  of  patient  thought.  Isaac 
Newton  said,  "I  keep  holding  a  subject  before  me,  and  it 


Chap.  21,  B,  9.    the  bible  in  association  work.  241 

gradually  opens  and  I  see  into  it."  But  do  not  hesitate  to 
consult  others  when  necessary.  It  is  an  excellent  plan  to 
write  in  preparatory  study  ;  this  gives  exactness  and  fixes 
thought  in  the  mind.  Carefully  prepared  lesson  studies 
prove  very  valuable  self-made  commentaries  for  future 
reference.  Study  with  regard  to  the  class,  keeping  its 
individual  members  in  view,  and  strive  to  have  something 
for  each.  Prepare  an  abundance  of  illustrative  material. 
(See  Chap.  22,  A,  14.) 

9. — Teaching  the  lesson. — It  has  been  aptly  said  that 
the  teacher  must  first  get  the  lesson  himself,  next  impart 
a  knowledge  of  it  to  the  minds  of  the  class,  and  then  im- 
press its  truths  on  the  heart.  The  successful  instructor 
will  thoroughly  accomplidi  the  first,  so  plan  and  manipu- 
late that  the  class  will  co-operate  largely  in  the  second, 
and  in  the  third  will  be  only  a  finger  pointing  quietly  to 
the  truth.  Esj^ecially  should  this  be  the  case  when  the 
pupils  are  bright,  earnest  young  men. 

The  following  suggestions  must  be  adapted  to  conditions 
and  occasions  by  the  teacher.  Few  rules  are  of  universal 
application.  Having  proved  all  things,  hold  fast  that 
which  is  good  and  suited  to  the  work  in  hand. 

(a)  Announce  the  lessoji  in  advance.  If  a  few  hints 
can  be  thrown  out,  suggesting  the  desired  trend  of  thought 
regarding  the  topic,  this  may  prevent  misconceptions  and 
aid  in  an  intelligent  study  of  the  lesson  from  the  intended 
standpoint,  {h)  Teach,  h'om.  a.  carefully/ prepared 2^lan,  not 
at  random.  The  plan  should  not  be  artificial  or  arbitrary, 
but  natural  and  adapted  to  the  lesson,  (c)  Avoid  formality , 
seek  to  have  a  home  atmosphere  pervade  the  place  and  all 
its  exercises,  {d)  Court  the  co-operation  of  the  class.  Get 
the  members  at  work,  for  active  participation  will  increase 
interest  and  fasten  truth  in  the  mind.  Read  the  lesson  in 
unison  or  responsively  ;  assign  duties,  such  as  looking  up 
words,  facts  and  Bible  references,  or  writing  brief  histor- 
ical and  biographical  papers,  or  reviews  of  former  lessons. 
Adopt  the  conversational  rather  than  the  lecture  method 


242  THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK,     Chap.  21,  B,  9. 

of  teaching,  (e)  Simplicity ^  C07icise7iess,  conce7itratio7i, 
are  important  j^oints  in  teaching.  Let  it  be  remembered, 
however,  that  simplicity  and  superficiality  are  by  no  means 
synonyms.  Never  use  a  hard  word  when  an  easy  one  will 
convey  the  full  meaning.  Technical  and  difficult  terms 
that  ought  to  be  understood  may  be  considered  in  a  series 
of  special  word  studies.  There  is  often  a  tendency  to 
digress  ;  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  follow  up  every  side 
path  you  cross  in  the  course  of  the  lesson.  Controversy 
should  be  avoided,  a  close  rein  held  on  all  discussion,  and  no 
heed  given  to  curious  questions  and  visionary  ideas.  (/') 
Teach  the  lesson  as  a  ichole.  Too  much  time  is  often  spent 
on  the  details  and  collaterals.  The  great  truths  are  far 
more  important,  {g)  All  material  in  the  line  of  illustration 
should  be  made  so  completely  your  own  that  each  text  and 
incident  and  simile  will  come  when  needed,  as  the  parts  of 
a  well  ordered  procession  silently  fall  into  line.  A  story 
should  be  told  with  s^^irit,  and  a  text  quoted  accurately. 
The  black  board  may  be  made  very  useful.  Successful 
manipulation  of  the  crayon  before  the  class  must  be  easy, 
simple,  and  rapid.  Much  artistic  display  is  not  in  good 
taste.  (Ji)  The  art  of  questio7ii7ig  should  be  made  a  study. 
Clear  and  definite  questions  should  be  prepared  in  advance, 
so  planned  as  to  exhaust  the  subject,  and  arranged  in 
order  so  as  naturally  to  grow  one  out  of  the  other.  Study 
to  ask  questions  that  call  for  more  than  merely  yes  or  no. 
Strive  to  draw  out  thought,  never  telling  what  you  can 
make  the  class  tell.  Encourage  the  asking  of  questions, 
and  if  you  are  not  clear  as  to  the  answer,  say  so,  and  make 
it  a  subject  of  mutual  inquiry  for  the  week  to  come,  (i) 
JVb  hnowledge  is  really  gained  taxless  retai7ied.  The  mem- 
ory should  be  aided  by  frequent  and  systematic  reviews. 
Begin  each  lesson  by  a  quiz  on  the  previous  one,  and  end 
it  by  a  thorough  recapitulation.  Review  monthly,  quar- 
terly, and  particularly  at  the  close  of  the  series  of  lessons. 
In  the  secular  schools  a  considerable  proportion  of  the 
time   is  spent  in   reviews  and  exammations.     Draw  vUv 


Chap.  21,  B,  10.    THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.  243 

again  all  knowledge  imparted,  as  a  telegram  is  repeated 
to  insure  its  accuracy.  Set  a  good  example  by  not  tying 
yourself  down  to  a  note  book  in  the  class,  (j)  There  will 
be  much  that  is  practical  and  personal  in  every  lesson.  Do 
not  adopt  the  old  method  of  making  the  application  at  the 
close — apply  as  you  go  along.  He  has  a  happy  faculty 
who  can  lead  those  who  are  taught  each  one  to  recognize 
and  appropriate  that  which  he  needs  in  his  own  life, 

10.— NOTES  OK  THE  WORKERS'  TRAINING  CLASS. 

a.  It  is  desirable  that  there  be  a  careful  discrimination 
between  the  objects  of  the  training  class  and  those  of  the 
Bible  class  proper,  and  that  the  names  employed  to  desig- 
nate them  be  clearly  distinctive.  It  is  suggested  that  the 
primary  thought  in  the  Bible  class  is  the  application  of  the 
truth  studied  to  the  individual  members,  while  in  the 
training  class  it  is  rather  how  to  use  the  truth  in  working 
for  others.  The  idea  of  gaining  general  Scripture  knowl- 
edge of  course  pertains  to  both,  in  the  latter  the  study 
being  usually  broader  and  more  systematic.  There  is  a 
fear  that  the  training  class  through  its  popularity  may 
minify  the  simpler  study.  The  training  class  should  sup- 
plement, not  supersede,  the  other.  The  simple  and  direct 
study  of  God's  Word  should  always  have  a  chief  place, 
for  the  more  systematic  and  critical  training  class  work 
must  almost  of  necessity  lack  some  of  that  strong  devo- 
tional and  personal  element  which  so  often  characterizes 
the  j^lainer  form.  It  is  indeed  a  question  whether  the  first 
year  or  more  of  the  young  worker's  study  should  not  be 
confined  to  the  Bible  class,  and  whether  more  or  less  pre- 
vious Bible  study  should  not  form  a  requisite  for  admission 
into  even  the  lower  grades  of  specific  training. 

Such  rudimentary  work  as  learning  the  names  and  order 
of  the  books,  and  acquiring  proficiency  in  a  mechanical  use 
of  the  Bible  and  of  its  simpler  helps,  may  properly  form  a 
preliminary  to  all  class  study.  Keither  can  there  be  objec- 
tion to  giving  a  few  minutes  of  the  Bible  class  hour,  if 


24:4  THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.    Chap.  21,  B,  10. 

desired,  to  any  helpful  study  about  the  book,  or  even 
to  considering  some  objections  and  answers  in  inquiry 
work,  especially  such  as  may  be  in  a  line  with  the  lesson 
under  consideration.  There  need  be  no  fear  of  trench- 
ing upon  the  work  of  the  training  class,  for  its  field  is 
limitless. 

h.  The  following  general  subjects  are  now  included  in 
some  of  the  training  class  outlines  : 

(1)  The  Bible,  —  its  contents,  construction,  and 
authors,  with  methods  of  study. 

(2)  Analysis  of  books  of  the  Bible. 

(3)  Principal  facts  and  doctrines,  God,  sin,  redemp- 
tion, etc. 

(4)  Illustrative  studies, — sacred  geography  and 
archaeology  ;  Bible  languages,  including  their  idioms,  fig- 
ures, etc.,  and  principles  of  interpretation. 

(5)  Christian  evidences. 

(6)  Christian  history. 

(7)  Methods  of  work. 

(8)  Difficulties  and  objections  of  inquirers. 

c.  As  it  is  desirable  to  take  up  several  subjects  at  each 
session  of  the  class  —  as,  for  example,  Bible  analysis, 
doctrines,  and  methods  with  the  inquirer  —  it  will  be 
necessary  to  arrange  a  time  schedule  and  adhere  strictly 
to  it. 

d.  A  graded  system  of  classes  is  needed  in  the  larger 
Associations.  To  traverse  the  above  outline,  or  even  one 
less  extensive,  in  a  manner  at  all  satisfactory,  will  require 
several  years,  and  can  be  best  accomplished  by  means  of  a 
graded  course.  Kot  only  will  such  a  plan  afford  a  sys- 
tematic method  for  the  development  of  the  younger  mem- 
bers, but  it  will  offer  to  those  who  join  the  Association  at 
any  time  a  grade  of  study  suited  to  their  experience  and 
capacity.  The  following  is  a  suggestive  outline  for  such 
a  course,  including  all  the  subjects.  These  may  be  changed 
or  modified  at  pleasure. 

(1)  Junior  division.     Composed  of  the  youngest  class 


Chap.  21,  B,  10.    THE  BIBLE  m  ASSOCIATION  WORK.  24:6 

of  workers  who  are  fitted  for  systematic  training.  Lessons 
made  up  of  the  simpler  facts  about  the  Bible  ;  brief  out- 
lines of  books  of  the  Bible  ;  something  about  the  leading 
doctrines,  and  instruction  as  to  the  common  objections  of 
inquirers,  and  simple  methods  of  work. 

(2)  Intermediate  division.  Composed  of  graduates 
from  the  lower  grade  and  others  sufficiently  advanced  to 
begin  with  this  class.  More  thorough  study  about  the  Bible, 
including  the  illustrative  features  ;  more  critical  outlines  of 
the  books  ;  doctrines  continued  ;  evidences  of  Christianity; 
the  more  difficult  objections  of  inquirers ;  methods  of 
work. 

(3)  Senior  divisio?i.  Critical  review  of  the  books  and 
illustrative  studies  ;  completion  of  doctrines  and  evidences  ; 
difficult  objections  continued  ;  Christian  history  ;  methods 
of  work. 

Christian  history  will  embrace  outlines  of  church  history, 
and  the  progress  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tions, Sunday-schools,  missions,  etc.  Methods  of  work 
will  include  among  other  things  such  topics  as  how  to  con- 
duct meetings;  dealing  with  inquirers;  the  preparation  of 
topical  talks,  Bible  readings,  etc.;  with  practical  illustra- 
tions of  the  same.  Especially  should  students  be  well 
drilled  in  writing,  becoming  accustomed  to  prepare  written 
reviews,  criticisms,  and  essays  on  the  different  subjects 
coming  before  the  class.  This  should  be  begun,  in  its 
simpler  forms,  in  the  lower  grades,  and  fully  developed  in 
the  higher. 

e.  It  is  suggested  that,  when  practicable,  the  difficulties 
and  objections  of  inquirers  be  treated  in  connection  with 
the  study  of  the  books  where  the  Scripture  answers  to 
them  will  naturally  be  found.  Such  a  plan  will  certainly 
add  materially  to  the  harmony  and  unity  of  a  series  of 
lessons.  It  is  still  more  desirable  that  theoretical  study 
be  accompanied  by  practical  work  during  the  week.  In 
this  way  the  members  not  only  receive  valuable  training, 
but  actual  cases  may  be  brought  before  the  class,  eliciting 


246  TBtBJ  BIBLB)  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.      Chap.  21,  C,  1. 

greater   interest   than    will   be   possible    with    imaginary 
ones.* 

f.  There  are  various  systems  of  Bible  marking,  a  subject 
that  will  probably  be  studied  in  the  class.  The  systematic 
student  will  take  hints  from  all  and  then  make  up  a  method 
of  his  own.  (See  *' Watchman,"  1885,  pages  1,  13,  14, 
49,  and  75.) 


SECTION  C. 

PRACTICAL  WORK  WITH  THE  UNCONVERTED. 

1.— PERSONAL    WORK       THE  INQUIRER. 

The  duty  of  personal  effort  with  the  unsaved  is  one  that 
appeals  daily  to  the  heart  and  conscience  of  the  earnest 
worker.  He  is  surrounded  with  young  men  who  are  not 
followers  of  Christ.  He  comes  in  contact  with  them  in 
business  and  social  life,  and  constant  opportunities  are 
presented  him  in  connection  with  the  varied  work  of  the 
Association.  There  are  two  general  classes  :  those  who 
may  have  shown  no  interest  whatever,  and  yet  to  whom 
we  feel  constrained  to  go  with  the  gospel  message,  and 
those  who  come  to  us,  either  individually  or  through  the 
invitation  at  a  gospel  meeting,  and  who  may  be  strictly 
denominated  inquirers.  Many  of  the  following  suggestions 
will  apply  in  either  case. 

a.  Personal  fitness  of  the  worker.  One  of  the  essential 
qualifications  is  a  consistent  every-day  life.  Then  he  must 
be  spiritual  and  thoroughly  in  earnest,  sober  but  cheerful 
and  bright,  well  versed  in  the  Scriptures,  and  able  to  use 
them  with  tact.  He  must  clearly  understand  the  relations 
of  the  unsaved  to  God. 

h.   Time,  place,  and  manner  of  approach.     A  sanctified 

*  The  following  have  been  among  the  most  popular  text-books  in  use  in  the 
Associations:  "Leaves  from  a  Worker's  Note-Book,"  by  David  McConaughy, 
Jr.;  "  Suggestive  Teaching  Outlines  for  Workers'  Training  Classes,"  by  John  H. 
Elliott  ;  -'Personal  Work;  How  Organized  and  Accomplished— Studies  for  Bible. 
Training  Classes,"  by  C.  K.  Ober  and  J.  R.  Mott.    Int.  pphs.  Nos.  12,  32,  and  307. 


Chap.  21,  C,  1.      THE  BIBLE  1^  ASSOCIATION  WORK.  247 

common  sense  is  needed.  Men  may  sometimes  have  been 
startled  to  repentance  by  abrupt  address,  and  at  seemingly 
the  most  inopportune  time  and  place  ;  but  the  average 
worker  will  fail  if  he  attempts  to  imitate  the  eccentricities 
of  even  the  best  men.  It  has  been  said  that  no  stranger 
should  be  allowed  to  enter  the  Association  rooms  without 
being  spoken  to  about  his  spiritual  welfare  ;  but  sometimes 
fishermen  quietly  bait  the  waters  till  the  fish,  getting 
accustomed  to  the  feeding  ground,  are  not  frightened  off 
by  an  occasional  drawing  of  the  net.  As  a  rule,  a  man 
ought  not  to  be  *^ attacked"  in  a  public  place,  or  when  he 
is  apparently  busy  with  other  matters.  At  the  rooms  a 
stranger  may  often  be  drawn  into  a  general  conversation 
for  a  moment  as  he  enters,  and  again  as  he  passes  out, 
when  a  serious  word  may  be  easily  added.  In  the  case  of 
young  men  who  are  frequenters  of  the  building,  occasions 
may  readily  be  found  for  earnest  conversation.  It  will  be 
much  easier  to  approach  young  men  in  the  religious  meet- 
ing if  the  kindly  word  of  invitation  or  warning  has  been 
previously  spoken  in  the  social  rooms  or  the  routine  of  busi- 
ness life.  But  while  there  is  sometimes  abruptness  and 
want  of  tact,  there  is  more  frequently  a  timid  if  not  care- 
less neglect.  It  is  truthfully  said  that  the  unconverted 
are  more  ready  to  be  spoken  to  than  Christians  are  to  speak 
to  them.  This  subject  should  be  treated  much  as  any 
other  matter  of  practical  importance.  Straighforward  talk, 
in  a  sympathetic  but  natural  manner,  will  seldom  offend 
or  repel.  Of  course,  those  who  remain  at  an  after-meeting, 
or  otherwise  seek  an  opportunity  for  personal  conversation, 
may  be  approached  with  comj)arative  ease  ;  and  yet  a  wise 
caution  is  necessary  even  here. 

Definite  results  should  be  expected  at  each  evangelistic 
meeting.  Often  some  expression  is  sought  from  such  as 
desire  to  become  Christians,  and  these,  with  others  who 
are  willing,  are  invited  to  remain  for  a  second  meeting. 
Sometimes,  especially  if  the  attendance  be  small,  it  may 
be  better  to  have  no  formal  dismission,  but  allow  any  who 


248  THE  BIBLE  i:^  ASSOCIATION  WORK.     Chap.  21,  C,  1. 

prefer  to  pass  quietly  out  during  the  singing  of  a  verse.  It 
is  very  essential  that  a  person  of  experience  give  the  invi- 
tation and  conduct  the  after-meeting.  The  invitation 
should  be  repeated  in  the  second  meeting,  as  some  who 
are  too  timid  to  rise  or  speak  in  the  larger  gathering  may 
do  so  here.  Suggest  only  one  mode  of  manifesting  inter- 
est, either  rising  or  lifting  the  hand.  No  method  should 
be  used  that  may  make  any  one  individually  conspicuous 
against  his  will.  It  is  often  well  to  ask  all  to  bow  in  prayer 
before  giving  the  invitation.  Frequently  after-meetings 
are  entirely  informal,  each  worker  assisting  the  nearest 
inquirer. 

c.  Methods  loith  the  inquirer.  The  worker  should  iirst 
ascertain,  as  far  as  practicable,  the  true  spiritual  condition 
of  the  inquirer  ;  in  fact,  like  a  physician,  make  a  careful 
diagnosis  of  the  case  before  commencing  treatment. 
Then,  being  acquainted  with  the  great  specifics,  apply 
them.  It  is  essential  that  the  worker  rely  upon  the  aid 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  applying  God's  Word  to  each 
particular  case,  rather  than  upon  his  own  personal  ex- 
periences. There  may  be  instances  requiring  a  little 
common-sense  logic,  so-called,  but  as  a  rule  there  is  no 
logic  equal  to  the  exact  words  of  Scripture.  One  familiar 
with  the  words  and  methods  of  the  Great  Physician 
will  be  able,  under  the  Spirit's  guidance,  to  select  some- 
thing adapted  to  each  particular  kind  and  stage  of 
spiritual  ailment. 

In  the  use  of  Scripture,  present  a  few  plain  texts — too 
many  may  confuse.  Make  no  far-fetched  applications,  and 
use  no  passage,  the  natural  meaning  of  which  must  be 
twisted  to  make  it  fit.  Discriminate  carefully  between 
truths  addressed  to  Christians  and  those  meant  for  the 
unsaved.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  the  inquirer  read  and 
re-read  the  texts  himself,  till  the  truth  is  firmly  fixed.  It 
is  often  helpful  to  repeat  a  passage  with  varying  emphasis. 
Some  passages,  for  example,  Isaiah  liii  :  5,  may  be  ren- 
dered  very   emphatic   by    changing   the   pronoun   to  the 


Cbap.  31,  C,  1.     THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.  249 

first  person  singular.  Seek  to  bring  the  inquirer  to  a  deci- 
sion, and  to  an  intelligent  recognition  of  and  trust  in  the 
promises  of  God's  Word.  Above  all  be  thorough ;  insist 
upon  compliance  with  the  scriptural  conditions  of  repent- 
ance— a  sorrow  for  and  forsaking  of  sin,  and  faith  in  the 
merits  of  Christ's  atonement  as  the  only  ground  and  means 
of  salvation.  Leave  with  the  inquirer  some  Scripture 
reference  or  marked  passage,  something  that  shall  re- 
main with  him  to  warn,  convince,  or  encourage,  as  the 
need  may  be.  Ascertain  his  name  and  address  and  the 
church  which  he  is  in  the  habit  of  attending,  or  prefers, 
and,  upon  his  accepting  Christ,  urge  his  immediate  identi- 
fication with  it. 

The  worker  should  promptly  file  with  the  general  secre- 
tary or  with  the  apj^ropriate  committee  a  report  of  each 
conversation.  ^'The  Christian  Worker's  Record,"  will  be 
found  very  helpful  in  this  connection.  (See  appendix, 
sample  No.  34.)  If  the  inquirer  attends  any  church,  the 
pastor  should  be  informed  of  the  interview  and  its  apparent 
result,  and  some  Christian  young  man  in  the  church  led  to 
take  an  active  interest  in  his  progress.  A  letter  used  by 
one  of  the  Associations  in  this  connection  is  given  in  the 
appendix,  sample  No.  35.  But  a  personal  call  or  a  written 
letter  will  often  be  much  more  effective  than  the  use  of 
any  form,  however  excellent. 

Personal  intercourse  or  correspondence  should  be  main- 
tained with  each  inquirer  until  he  appears  to  have  entered 
fully  upon  the  Christian  life  and  has  united  with  the 
church.  If  this  can  be  done  by  the  original  worker  all  the 
better,  but  in  the  larger  Associations  es]3ecially  this  will 
often  be  diflicult  to  accomplish.  When  this  is  the  case, 
the  best  thought  and  care  of  the  Association  should  be 
given  to  some  thorough  method  of  carrying  it  out.  Noth- 
ing should  take  precedence  of  it.  Requiring  as  it  does 
rare  patience  and  tact,  no  duty  is  more  apt  to  be  neglected. 
(The  heading  of  a  record  book  is  given  in  the  appendix, 
sample  No.  36.) 


250  THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.     Chap.  31,  0,  2. 

i.—THE  EVANQELISTIC  BIBLE  CLASS. 

a.  Perhaps  no  agency  employed  by  the  Associations  to 
lead  young  men  to  Christ  can  be  used  to  better  purpose 
than  the  evangelistic  Bible  class.  Thoroughly  informal  in 
character,  it  can  often  be  made  more  attractive  to  the  un- 
converted than  the  young  men's  meeting,  and  for  the  same 
reason  affords  excellent  opportunities  to  get  at  the  spirit- 
ual standing  of  individuals  and  to  press  home  the  truth  in 
a  direct  and  forcible  manner.  It  is  here  treated  as  distinct 
from  the  ordinary  Bible  class,  and  when  possible  should 
be  conducted,  as  its  name  implies,  solely  and  directly  for 
evangelistic  purposes.  As  a  rule,  the  class  is  in  charge  of 
the  general  secretary.  Into  it  he  will  be  able  to  invite  the 
associate  members  and  other  young  men  whom  he  may 
meet,  and  through  it  he  will  have  peculiar  opportunities  to 
spiritually  reach  and  influence  them. 

b.  While  the  majority  of  the  class  will  usually  be  non- 
Christian  young  men,  it  should  also  contain  a  number  of 
earnest  and  trained  loorkers.  It  will  probably  lack  many 
of  the  elements  of  organization  found  in  the  others,  its 
membership  being  more  irregular  and  transient.  Indeed, 
effort  should  be  made  in  connection  with  each  session  of 
the  class  to  secure  new  attendants. 

c.  The  usual  time  of  meeting  is  on  Sunday.  A  conven- 
ient and  agreeable  meeting  place  and  a  cordial  welcome 
for  all  are  essential.  With  a  musical  instrument  singing 
may  be  made  a  pleasing  addition  to  the  exercises. 

d.  The  t02ncSf  while  attractive  in  themselves,  should  be 
such  as  to  give,  in  each  lesson,  to  every  unconverted  man 
present,  a  clear  and  earnest  invitation  to  come  to  Christ. 
Many  passages  in  the  Gospels  are  well  adapted  to  such  a 
purpose.  A  series  of  topics  for  such  classes  is  published 
annually  by  the  International  Committee  in  the  same 
pamphlet  with  topics  for  young  men's  meetings.  The  use 
of  these  uniform  topics  has  proved  very  helpful. 

e.  Some  writer  has  made  the  following  simple  analysis : 
The  teacher  has  first  to  set  forth  given  historical  facts; 


I^HE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.  251 

second,  to  educe  from  these  certain  doctrines  or  moral 
trutlis;  tliird,  to  make  a  personal  application  of  the  truths 
to  the  individuals  of  the  class.  The  teacher  should  strive 
so  to  present  the  truth,  that,  with  the  help  of  the  Spirit,  it 
may  not  only  gain  the  attention,  excite  the  interest,  and 
quicken  the  intellect,  but  arouse  the  conscience  and  con- 
quer the  heart, — thus  leading  to  submission  of  will,  new 
purpose,  and  Christ-like  conduct. 

/.  Pains  must  be  taken  to  make  the  presentation  of  the 
lesson  attractive.  The  young  men  who  attend  are  not 
many  of  them  impelled  by  duty  or  strong  considerations 
of  any  kind.  They  must  be  interested  if  they  are  to  be 
held.  The  exercises  should  be  conducted  with  earnestness 
and  animation,  and  the  lesson  aptly  illustrated. 

g.  The  teacher  should  not  occupy  all  the  time.  Young 
men  like  to  talk.  Such  co-operation  will  not  only  hold 
their  interest,  but,  as  conversation  grows  free,  will  tend  to 
disclose  to  the  alert  mind  their  real  feeling  and  relation  to 
the  subject  under  consideration.  Then,  too,  as  men  talk 
about  personal  experiences  and  look  into  their  own  hearts 
they  become  more  and  more  open  to  conviction.  A  single 
word  from  a  diffident  student  should  be  cordially  noticed 
and  aptly  brought  into  line  with  the  conversation. 

h.  The  teacher  must  not  hesitate  to  be  plain  and  direct. 
Young  men  will  not  tire  of  jDersonal  and  practical  topics, 
although  they  may  not  at  the  time  assent  to  the  conclu- 
sions. It  is  not  best  to  ask  questions  personally  unless  you 
are  sure  of  your  man,  but  a  little  tact  will  generally  secure 
answers  that  will  afford  opportunity  for  any  desired  appli- 
cation. 

i.  The  end  of  all  Scripture  teaching  is  practical  and 
personal,  and  residts  should  be  constantly  looked  for. 
Both  teacher  and  workers  should  often  find  opportunity 
for  personal  effort  at  the  close  of  the  class. 


252  THE  BIBLE  IPf  ASSOClATIOJf  WORlC.      Chap.  21,  C,  3. 

8  -  THE  JilBLK  IN  THE  EVANGELIBTIO  MEETING. 

The  Bible  should  be  made  very  prominent  in  all  relig- 
ious meetings,  but  especially  in  those  of  an  evangelistic 
character. 

a.  The  Scripture  lesson.  This  is  a  very  important  part 
of  the  opening  exercises.  The  passage  or  passages  should 
be  selected  with  reference  to  their  bearing  on  the  topic  of 
the  meeting,  and,  if  not  perfectly  familiar,  should  be 
looked  over  in  advance,  that  the  reading  may  be  with  pre- 
cision and  the  j^roper  emphasis.  Not  infrequently  the 
meaning  of  a  passage  may  be  entirely  destroj^ed  by  care- 
less reading.  The  Bible  is  in  general  a  book  of  short 
words,  but  many  names,  very  j^roperly  left  without  trans- 
lation, are  exceedingly  difficult.  These  should  be  looked 
up  both  as  to  meaning  and  pronunciation.  The  miscalling 
of  words  may  be  embarrassing  to  the  audience  if  not  to 
the  reader.  The  lesson  should  be  read  with  reverence, 
usually  in  a  standing  posture.  There  is  often  a  tendency 
to  too  much  tone  in  reading  Scripture;  a  natural  conver- 
sational voice  should  be  cultivated.  Occasional  brief  com- 
ments during  the  reading  may  be  jDrofitable,  if  carefully 
prepared.  A  responsive  reading  will  afford  a  pleasing 
variety. 

h.  Proof  texts.  The  recitation  of  texts  bearing  uj^on  a 
given  topic  is  sometimes  the  leading  feature  of  a  service. 
The  topic  may  be  announced  beforehand,  affording  all  the 
opportunity  to  make  selections;  these  may  be  made  by  the 
leader  and  given  out  on  slips  of  paper;  or  the  whole  ser- 
vice may  be  impromptu,  those  present  giving  appropriate 
passages  from  memorj^  The  success  of  this  last  plan  will 
depend  upon  the  number  and  aptness  of  the  Bible  students 
present.  The  Bible  song  service  is  similar,  but  with 
singing  as  a  prominent  feature.  With  good  music  and 
aptly  selected  Scripture  and  hymns,  such  a  service  can 
be  made  very  impressive.  If  the  supply  of  Bibles  be 
ample,  the  young  men  can  usually  be  led  to  take  •  part  in 
the  exercises. 


Chap.  21,  T>.      THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATIOIS'  WORK.  253 

SECTIOK  D. 

BIBLE-READINGS. 

So-called  Bible  readings  are  simply  religious  discourses 
based  on  Scripture  truths.  While  the  sermon  is  usually 
the  analysis  and  expansion  of  a  single  text,  the  Bible-read- 
ing is  built  out,  like  a  bridge,  on  piers  of  Scripture,  till  the 
topic  is  spanned.  Its  excellences  are  its  simplicity,  the 
direct  use  of  so  much  of  the  written  word,  the  interpreta- 
tion and  proving  of  Scripture  by  Scripture,  and  the  mani- 
fold ways  in  which  Scripture  words  and  topics  may  be 
arranged  and  adapted  to  interest  and  instruct  an  audience. 
There  is  room  for  an  endless  scope  and  variety  in  prepar- 
ing and  giving  the  readings,  and  great  tact  is  often  dis- 
played in  arrangement  and  illustration.  There  is  some- 
times a  tendency  to  fanciful  methods,  and  to  a  play  on 
words — often  far-fetched— which  should  be  guarded  against. 
Texts  should  never  be  wrested  from  their  proper  connec- 
tions, or  their  meaning  in  any  way  forced.  A  simple  and 
practical  subject  is  the  best.  A  clear  analysis  should  be 
made  and  the  topic  divided  under  its  naturally  suggested 
heads.  The  concordance  and  Bible  text  book  Avill  be  the 
usual  helps.  So  much  material  will  present  itself  that  the 
beginner  will  often  gather  more  than  he  can  use.  He 
must  persistently  sift  it,  retaining  the  best  and  only  in 
sufficient  quantity,  as  the  reading  must  not  be  too  long. 
There  should  be  a  natural  and  logical  development  of  the 
topic  in  order  to  clearly  and  effectively  impress  the  truth. 
Sufficient  and  apt  illustrations  are  needed  to  sustain  inter- 
est and  fasten  thought  in  the  mind.  Whether  the  leader 
will  read  the  references  himself,  or  give  them  out  to  be 
read  by  others,  will  depend  upon  the  size  of  the  meeting 
and  the  number  of  trusted  workers  present.  References 
should  seldom  be  given  out  at  random  in  a  public  service. 
The  leader  must  in  all  cases  be  ready  to  give  them  himself 
in  the  event  of  hesitation  or  error.     The  texts  should  be 


254  THE  BIBLE  IN  ASSOCIATION  WORK.      Chap.  21,  D. 

read  in  a  full  voice  and  with  correct  emphasis.  If  this  is 
not  done,  repetition  on  the  part  of  the  leader  will  be  neces- 
sary. The  remarks  in  connection  with  a  Bible  reading 
should  be  simple  and  earnest,  without  rhetorical  display  or 
declamation, 


CHAPTER  22. 

RBLiaiOUJS  MEETINQS,  ETC.* 

The  fixed  sentiment  of  the  Associations  to-day  confines 
the  religious  work,  in  common  with  that  of  the  other  de- 
partments, to  young  men.  It  is  believed  that  general 
evangelistic  and  mission  work  should  be  conducted  under 
church  auspices,  leaving  the  Associations,  as  such,  to  the 
one  work  which  called  them  into  existence  and  to  which 
their  means  and  methods  are  peculiarly  adapted.  Young 
men  are,  however,  distinctly  taught  in  the  Associations 
that,  as  members  of  their  respective  churches,  they  should 
be  willing  workers  in  any  needy  field.  And  wherever  they 
labor  they  will  find  opportunities  to  aid  the  work  for 
young  men,  especially  in  times  of  revival  interest.  A 
general  secretary  should  be  interested  in  and  assist  all 
such  movements,  as  far  as  he  can  without  neglecting  his 
other  duties,  but  should  never  conduct  a  series  of  general 
evangelistic  meetings  himself. 


SECTION  A. 


1. — A  weekly  meeting  for  young  men  only,  with  an 
evangelistic  aim,  is  a  prominent  feature  in  our  Associa- 
tions. The  testimony  is  positive  in  favor  of  this  service 
as  compared  with  that  for  both  sexes,  formerly  so  common. 

*  A  form  of  report  for  the  religious  department  is  suggested  in  sample 
No.  2?. 

This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  60. 


256  RELiaious  meetings,  etc.     Chap.  23,  A,  2. 

More  young  men  attend,  greater  freedom  exists,  religious 
interest  is  intensified,  and  results  are  increased  many  fold. 
Reasons  for  this  are  that  certain  classes,  especially  the 
timid,  are  more  free  to  come,  they  come  for  the  meeting 
itself,  they  can  be  given  front  seats,  can  be  more  plainly 
dealt  with,  are  more  ready  to  commit  themselves,  and  can 
be  more  easily  held  for  an  after-meeting.  Many  of  the 
younger  workers  are  also  favorably  affected  by  the  same 
conditions,  being  more  free  to  work  and  less  liable  to  dis- 
traction. 

2. — The  objects  sought  are  the  following,  named  not  so 
much  in  the  order  of  importance  as  in  that  of  natural 
cause  and  effect:  true  worship,  the  spiritual  U23building  of 
the  Christian  men  of  the  Association,  the  rescue  and  spir- 
itual education  of  unsaved  young  men. 

3. — The  meeting  is  naturally  composed  of  the  workers, 
and  those  for  whom  they  work;  and  an  important  element 
of  success  is  the  presence  of  these  two  classes  of  men  in 
proportional  numbers. 

4. — Some  hour  on  Sunday  afternoon  not  occupied  by 
church  services  is  usually  considered  the  best  time  for  the 
meeting,  young  men  as  a  rule  being  least  occupied  then. 
In  some  large  cities,  however,  Sunday  evening  is  chosen, 
the  meetings  being  held  either  before  or  after  the  regular 
church  services. 

5. — The  place  should  be  accessible  and  attractive  in  its 
appointments,  and  supplied  with  a  musical  instrument, 
singing  books,  and  Bibles.  A  blackboard  is  very  desira- 
ble, on  which  the  topic  and  Scripture  references  may  be 
written  before  each  meeting.  Neatness,  ligbt,  and  proper 
temperature  are  also  important  items.  Good  ventilation  is 
almost  as  unusual  as  it  is  necessary.  In  summer  fans 
should  be  provided.  It  is  well  to  arrange  the  seats  in- 
formally if  the  attendance  is  not  large,  and  chairs  are  al- 
ways preferable  to  settees,  the  number  being  proportioned 
to  the  probable  attendance.  It  is  better  to  bring  in  addi- 
tional chairs  than  to  have  many  empty  ones.     The  books 


Chap.  32,  A,  8.      religious  meetings,  etc.  257 

may  be  placed  on  the  chairs  or,  perhaps  better,  handed  to 
persons  as  thej^  enter  the  room.  Sometimes  the  seats  have 
inclosed  shelves  underneath  suitable  for-  both  books  and 
hats. 

6. — The  meeting  is  managed  by  a  committee,  whose  duty 
it  is  to  appoint  leaders,  select  topics,  and  arrange  such 
matters  as  plan  of  services,  music,  ushers,  invitations,  and 
the  care  of  inquirers.  Much  depends  upon  its  competency 
and  organization.  Individual  members  are  usually  made 
responsible  for  specific  details.  The  committee  should 
keep  a  record  of  statistics  and  other  items  of  interest,  and 
tile  a  duplicate  of  the  same  at  the  office.  (For  form  of  re- 
port of  a  religious  meeting,  see  appendix,  sample  No.  29, 
and  for  hints  to  the  committee,  see  sample  No.  37.) 

7. — The  attendance  must  be  secured  by  earnest  and  sys- 
tematic work.  Active  members  must  be  led  to  take  a  deep 
interest  in  the  meeting;  others  need  to  be  informed  and  at- 
tracted. The  newspaper,  the  Association  bulletin,  printed 
handbills  and  invitation  cards,  and  placards  posted  about 
the  building  and  elsewhere,  are  usual  methods  of  invitation. 
The  invitation  committee  should  also  do  good  service.  (See 
sect.  C,  5.)  It  is  an  advantage  if  the  music  from  the  meet- 
ing can  be  heard  on  the  street.  All  the  workers  should  keep 
the  meeting  in  mind,  carry  a  supply  of  printed  invitations, 
and  use  them,  in  connection  with  personal  solicitation,  as 
opportunity  offers.  A  very  definite  work  may  be  accom- 
plished when  each  member  agrees  to  bring  one  person  with 
him  to  the  next  meeting,  then  selects  his  man,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, calls  for  and  comes  with  him.  If  the  service  be  what 
is  advertised,  a  meeting  for  and  by  young  men,  and  is  con- 
ducted in  a  prompt,  earnest,  manly  way,  those  who  attend 
once  will  be  likely  to  come  again. 

8. — Young  men  of  good  address  should  be  selected  as 
ushers,  and  it  is  also  well  to  have  some  of  the  more  promi- 
nent members  at  the  door  to  welcome  those  who  come.  By 
the  exercise  of  a  little  tact  the  ushers  will  succeed  in  seat- 
ing the  young  men  towards  the  front,  and  also  prevent  the 


258  RELIGIOUS  MEETINGS,    ETC.       Chap.  23,  A,  9. 

annoying  practice,  on  the  part  of  those  who  come  early,  of 
taking  the  aisle  seats.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a  moder- 
ate number  of  ehairs  available  at  first,  near  the  leader's 
table ;  and,  after  these  are  occupied,  to  set  out  others  from 
a  reserve  supply  in  the  back  of  the  room. 

9. — There  should  be  such  a  general  plan,  not  only  for 
each  meeting  but  for  the  entire  year,  as  to  give  a  profitable 
and  attractive  variety.  The  opportunities  for  special  ser- 
vices offered  by  public  holidays,  both  of  a  religious  and  a 
national  character,  and  the  several  appointed  days  of 
prayer,  should  be  improved.  Some  Associations  present 
statedly  such  topics  ag  personal  purity,  temperance,  work 
among  young  men  in  foreign  missionary  lands,  etc.  Many 
Associations  publish  programmes  quarterly,  including  topics 
and  often  leaders.  The  International  Committee  furnishes 
each  year  a  suggestive  list  of  topics,  in  pamphlet  No.  10. 

10. — The  leader  should  ordinarily  be  a  layman,  and,  if 
not  a  young  man,  in  full  sympathy  with  and  acceptable  to 
young  men;  well  known  business  men  are  desirable. 
Where  the  responsibility  is  put  upon  one  quite  young  he 
should  be  well  supported  by  experienced  workers.  Never 
jeopardise  an  evangelistic  meeting  in  order  to  give  a  young 
man  practice.     Custom  favors  rotation  in  leaders. 

11. — The  leader  will  follow  the  general  suggestions  of 
the  committee,  but  is  given  the  management  of  details. 
In  this  he  should  have  a  definite  plan.  Having  ascertained 
the  key-thought  of  the  topic,  his  remarks,  with  the  Scrip- 
ture readings  and  hymns,  should  cluster  around  it.  Too 
much  time  should  not  be  taken  in  opening  the  meeting, 
seldom  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  the  remarks 
of  the  leader  being  suggestive  rather  than  exhaustive.  It 
is  often  better  to  have  several  to  speak  on  the  topic,  allot- 
ting to  each  his  part,  with  time  for  preparation.  (See  "  The 
Bible  in  the  evangelistic  meeting,"  Chap.  21,  C,  3.) 

12. — It  is  essential  that  young  men  be  trained  to  take 
part  in  the  meeting.  They  must  be  shown  the  value  of 
such  participation,  both  to  themselves  and  others,  and  that 


Chap.  22,  A,  16.     religious  meetings,  etc.  259 

the  earlier  they  begin  the  less  their  difficulty  in  learning 
and  the  greater  their  prospect  of  usefulness.  Some  simple 
duty  should  be  given  them  at  first,  tlieir  promise  being 
obtained  for  a  definite  time  and  thing.  All  needed  aid 
should  be  afforded  them  in  preparation.  Sometimes  short 
meetings  are  held  in  advance,  for  a  prayerful  study  and 
division  of  the  topic  among  those  who  are  to  take  part. 

13. — In  the  character  of  his  remarks  a  speaker  must  be 
governed  by  the  make  up  of  his  audience,  but  a  simple  and 
direct  talk  will  generally  interest  all.  A  young  man 
should  not  be  too  didactic.  It  is  better  to  have  the  teach- 
ing largely  in  the  very  language  of  Scripture.  A  few  apt 
illustrations  will  enrich  an  address.  The  Master  drew 
largely  from  the  things  of  every-day  life,  and  the  keen 
observer  will  never  fail  of  a  like  supply.  The  Bible  itself 
is  a  very  treasury  of  illustration.  One  should  steadily  re- 
sist the  temptation  to  tell  a  story  simply  because  it  is  good, 
if  the  api^lication  is  far-fetched.  Illustrations  like  windows 
should  add  light.  Pedantry  must  be  avoided.  An  inci- 
dent from  history,  a  fact  of  science,  a  literary  quotation, 
or  some  biblical  interpretation  may  often  be  introduced 
with  the  remark  "  you  remember,"  or  "  you  are  probably 
familiar  with."  A  self-sustained  but  quiet  and  earnest 
demeanor  will  disarm  criticism  and  secure  consideration. 

1-4. — A  speaker  especially  needs  wisdom  in  talking  to 
the  unconverted.  There  must  be  no  semblance  of  Phari- 
saic superiority  in  word  or  manner.  The  chasm  between 
the  forgiven  and  the  unforgiven  is  indeed  real,  but  it  must 
be  bridged  by  kindness.  Never,  or  very  seldom,  use  "you" 
but  "Ave."  On  the  other  hand,  young  men  dislike  the 
patronizing  and  sentimental  address  sometimes  employed. 

15. — It  may  not  always  be  wise  to  throw  a  meeting  open 
for  voluntary  exercises,  yet  opportunity  for  them  should 
be  frequently  given;  not  only  that  the  members  may  grow 
accustomed  to  and  be  benefited  by  them,  but  because  these 
spontaneous  utterances  often  have  an  excellent  effect. 

16. — During  voluntary  exercises  promptness  will  usually 


260  RELIGIOUS  MEETiis-GS,  ETC.     Chap.  23,  A,  17. 

index  the  tone  of  the  meeting  and  promote  its  interest,  but 
if  pauses  occur  the  leader  should  not  fret  or  scold,  but 
rather  suggest  some  simple  cliange  in  the  order. 

17. — Questions  upon  which  the  evangelical  churches  dif- 
fer should  not  be  introduced.  The  leader  may  generally 
shut  off  ill-timed  or  too  lengthy  remarks  by  quietly  rising 
and  remaining  in  a  waiting  attitude.  Obstinate  cases  must 
be  personally  dealt  with  by  the  committee.  Cowardice  in 
the  management  must  not  permit  persistent  intruders  or 
bores  to  injure  the  usefulness  of  the  meeting. 

18. — Good  music  is  an  essential  feature.  It  is  possible 
to  organize  a  male  choir  in  almost  any  Association,  if  a 
suitable  leader  can  be  obtained.  The  ideal  leader  is  an 
earnest  Christian  man,  young  and  popular,  a  tenor,  and 
with  ability  and  tact  as  a  conductor.  Often  a  cornet,  and 
sometimes  a  small  orchestra,  can  be  added  to  the  .piano  or 
organ,  and  will  j^rove  very  helpful  in  attracting  and  hold- 
ing the  young  men.  Good  singing  books  and  plenty  of 
them  are  needed,  those  with  the  notes  being  greatly  pre- 
ferred. For  general  and  continued  use  no  collection  has 
probably  been  so  popular  as  the  "Gospel  Hymns,"  but 
many  other  excellent  books  ma}^  be  brouglit  into  recpiisi- 
tion  to  give  the  variety  and  freshness  so  desirable.  A 
choir  can  easily  introduce  selections  from  different  books 
which  will  soon  become  familiar  to  the  stated  attendants; 
but  the  singing  should  be  principally  from  books  that  can 
be  furnished  to  all.  An  occasional  solo  or  quartette  selec- 
tion, unannounced  and  in  strict  harmony  with  the  meeting, 
is  often  \ery  effective.  The  singing  should  be  spiritual, 
all  mere  musical  displa}^  being  avoided. 

It  is  better  to  omit  instrumental  preludes,  etc.,  after 
the  opening  exercises.  The  leader  should  select  the  hymns, 
as  far  as  may  be,  before  the  service,  giving  a  list  to  the 
chorister.  The  tone  of  the  meeting  may  call  for  others, 
and  he  should  be  able  to  turn  readily  to  one  in  accord  with 
any  sentiment  expressed.  A  few  verses  suited  to  the  feel- 
ing of  the  moment  are  more  effective  than  long  hymns. 


Chap.  22,  A,  22.    religious  meetin^gs,  etc.  261 

Usually  liymns  should  be  announced  only  by  tiie  number. 
The  choir  and  instrumentalists  should  be  Oliristianmen. 

19. — AYorkers  should  be  on  the  watch  during  every  ser- 
vice for  any  evidences  of  special  interest  on  the  part  of 
those  present,  and  no  one  manifesting  such  interest  should 
be  permitted  to  pass  out  without  a  word  of  sjaiipathy  or 
counsel.  Often  workers  are  systematically  stationed  so  as 
to  bring  the  entire  room  under  observation.  The  best  re- 
sults may  be  expected  wlien  each  worker  becomes  inter- 
ested in  and  labors  for  a  particular  young  man.  (See 
''Personal  work,"  Chap.  21,  C,  1.) 

20. — It  is  generally  best  to  close  before  the  interest  lags, 
even  if  the  hour  is  not  up;  a  meeting  should  never  be  al- 
lowed to  "stop  on  the  center."  Tliat  it  end  well,  a  few 
stirring  words  may  be  thrown  in  by  the  leader,  with  a 
spirited  hymn  and  one  or  two  brief  prayers.  The  invita- 
tion for  the  manifestation  of  special  interest  should  seldom 
be  omitted.  If  circumstances  seem  to  call  for  more  time, 
the  meeting  should  be  promptly  closed  at  the  appointed 
hour  and  a  second  one  held.  Any  necessary  notices  may 
be  given  near  the  beginning  of  the  service. 

21. — A  young  men's  meeting  may  often  be  conducted  in 
a  small  town,  or  even  in  the  country,  where  there  is  no 
Association;  and  strong  Associations  have  grown  out  of 
such  an  effort.  State  Secretaries  often  and  wisel}^  make 
the  success  of  such  a  meeting  a  test  as  to  the  desirability 
of  organizing  an  Association.  Where  the  meeting  is  small 
an  earnest  and  faithful  committee  is  necessary  as  a  nucleus. 
The  meetings  may  be  held  at  a  church,  or  at  the  several 
churches  in  turn,  but  better  still  at  an  office  or  a  private 
house.  Help  from  an  Association  in  the  vicinit}"  is  often 
called  in. 

•a.—HINTS  TO   THE  LEADER. 

a. — Open  on  time,  no  matter  how  few  are  present. 
h. — Sit  as  near  as  possible  to  your  audience, 
c. — Speak  so  that  all  can  hear  but  not  too  loudly.    Avoid 
tone,  cant,  and  the  commonplace.     Be  natural. 


^62  RELIGIOUS  MEETINGS,   ETC.      Chap.  22,  A,  22. 

d. — See  that  the  air  is  kept  fresli, — many  a  meeting  is 
suffocated  from  want  of  oxygen. 

e. — Be  prompt  and  earnest,  and  you  will  impart  your 
spirit  to  others. 
/. — Have  variety.     Keep  out  of  ruts. 

g. — Adapt  yourself  to  circumstances;  if  intended  plans 
won't  work,  try  others.  If  men  fail  you,  be  ready  to  take 
their  places. 

]i^ — Make  the  meeting  as  informal  as  possible,  and  free 
from  restraint  as  to  order  of  exercises,  posture  in  prayer, 
and  similar  non-essentials. 

i^ — Let  everything  be  so  simple  and  straightforward  that 
criticism  will  not  be  thought  of. 

j. — Pray  for  the  meeting  before  you  come,  during  its 
progress,  and  after  it  is  over. 

A\ — Never  come  unprepared;  give  the  best  you  have; 
never  apologize. 

I. — Depend  upon  the  truth  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  not  upon 
manner  and  methods. 

m. — Hold  up  Christ  so  as  to  hide  yourself. 

n, — Be  free  and  cheerful,  but  never  lose  the  devotional 
spirit. 

o. — Avoid  a  too  familiar  and  possibly  irreverent  use  of 
the  name  of  the  Deity. 

p. — Have  plenty  of  singing,  but  of  the  right  kind  and  at 
proper  times. 

q. — Urge  brightness  and  brevity  in  the  exercises,  and  set 
the  example. 

r. — Encourage  the  weak  and  timid. 

s. — Never  lose  j^our  grip  on  the  meeting. 

?.—Keep  in  view  that  the  definite  object  of  your  work  is 
the  conversion  of  souls. 

n. — Aim  for  immediate  results,  and  strike  for  them  at 
the  right  time,  no  matter  if  at  the  beginning  of  the  service. 

V. — If  praj^er  is  requested,  personally  or  for  a  friend,  see 
that  a  response  is  made  during  the  meeting.  It  is  often 
best  to  do  so  at  once. 


Chap.  22,  B,  2.        RELIGIOUS  MEETINGS,   ETC.  263 

w. — When  the  meeting  is  over,  don't  turn  your  back 
find  hurry  away.  Go  among  those  present  and  cordially 
greet  as  many  as  you  can. 


SECTION  B. 

OTHER  MEETINGS  AT  THE  ROOMS. 

In  addition  to  the  "  young  men's  meeting "  there  are 
many  others,  some  being  simply  modifications  of  that 
meeting  under. different  names.  The  details  given  in  the 
previous  section  will  be  applicable  to  these,  and  also  to  the 
other  services  here  enumerated. 

1. —  Social  religious  meetings. — Under  this  head  are 
meetings  composed  of  Christian  young  men  and  intended 
specially  for  worship  and  spiritual  growth.  Of  this  class 
are  the  meetings  for  prayer  and  conference,  the  experience 
or  testimony  meeting,  the  promise  meeting,  the  praise  or 
thanksgiving  meeting,  and  the  consecration  meeting;  the 
particular  objects  and  characteristics  of  each  being  indi- 
cated by  the  name. 

A  converts'  meeting,  or  a  meeting  for  beginners  and  in- 
quirers, is  held  with  the  special  purpose  of  developing  and 
strengthening  these  classes,  and  is  very  important  during 
and  after  times  of  special  interest. 

A  workers'  preparatory^  meeting,  for  prayer  and  sugges- 
tions, is  often  held  just  before  an  evangelistic  service. 

Evening  prayers  are  conducted  by  many  Associations, 
usually  under  the  direction  of  the  reception  committee, 
just  before  the  hour  of  closing.  This  is  an  excellent 
custom. 

Where  there  are  several  employes,  a  short  season  of 
prayer  and  Bible  study  every  morning  is  a  fitting  prepara- 
tion for  the  day's  work. 

2  — Occasional  7neetings. — The  service  of  song,  in  which 
singing    is    a   leading  feature,  has   always   been  popular. 


^64  RELIGIOUS  MEETINGS,    ETC.        Chap.  ^2,  B,  2. 

Hymns  are  selected  and  arranged  topicall^^  and  inter- 
spersed with  appropriate  Scripture  readings  and  remarks. 
With  good  music  and  tact  in  arranging  and  conducting 
the  service,  it  may  be  made  very  effective. 

Gospel  temperance  and  personal  purity  meetings  are 
held  statedly  by  many  Associations.  They  are  designed 
to  educate  j^oung  men  in  relation  to  the  evils  of  intemper- 
ance and  impurity  in  all  their  forms,  and  to  impress  them 
so  deepl}^  with  the  peril  of  yielding  to  temptation  that 
they  may  be  led  to  fly  to  Christ  for  strength  and  salvation. 
These  meetings  should  be  thoroughly  evangelistic  and  be 
immediately  followed  by  meetings'  for  personal  religious 
conversation.  Meetings  should  also  be  held  to  point  out 
the  evils  of  gambling  in  any  form. 

Meetings  are  often  held  for  students  of  medical  or  other 
professional  schools,  for  commercial  travelers,  and,  where 
there  are  no  separate  organizations,  for  railroad  men  and 
men  of  various  nationalities.  The  Associations  should 
take  advantage  of  every  such  desirable  opportunity. 

A  "  watch  meeting "  on  ISTew  Year's  eve  may  be  made 
very  impressive ;  part  of  the  time  being  given  to  answering 
such  questions  as,  "What  led  me  into  the  Association  ? " 
"  How  has  the  Association  helped  me  ? ''  "  What  can  I 
do  the  coming  year  to  increase  the  usefulness  of  the 
Association  ? "  or  "  to  win  j^oung  men  to  the  service  of 
Christ  ?  " 

Meetings  in  the  interest  of  work  among  the  young  men 
of  foreign  mission  countries,  are  held  by  many  Associa- 
tions, and  an  earnest  and  wide-spread  feeling  is  aroused 
on  the  subject.  An  important  feature  of  these  meetings 
is  the  information  given  regarding  the  present  condition 
and  needs  of  young  men  in  these  fields. 

The  week  of  prayer  appointed  by  the  International  Con- 
ventions, beginning  with  the  second  Sunda}'-  in  November 
of  each  year,  should  be  observed  by  a  series  of  special 
meetings.  Although  the  ideal  spiritual  condition  is  one 
of  continuous  earnestness  and  activity,  still  Scripture  and 


Chap.22,  C,  1.        RELlGflOUS  MEETINGS,  ETC.  265 

experience  teach  that  there  are  sj^ecial  "  times  of  refresh- 
ing," and  it  has  been  found  that  this  setting  apart  of  a  few 
days  for  special  prayer  and  effort,  near  the  opening  of  the 
active  winter  season,  is  very  fruitful  of  results,  stimu- 
lating the  membership,  leading  young  men  into  the  Chris- 
tian life,  and  often  marking  the  beginning  of  a  work  that 
continues  through  weeks  and  months.  If  special  evangel- 
istic effort  is  to  be  made  immediately  after  the  week  of 
prayer,  that  week  maj^  be  devoted  to  preparatory  meetings 
of  Christian  men.  The  uniform  observance  of  the  week 
throughout  the  Christian  world  is  an  additional  incentive 
to  faith  and  effort.  The  services  may  often  be  rendered 
more  effective  by  a  judicious  exchange  of  workers  between 
neighboring  Associations.  The  social  work  and  entertain- 
ments should  be  so  arranged  as  to  interfere  as  little  as 
possible  with  the  special  services.  Experience  however 
shows  that  the  regular  appointments  cannot  well  be 
omitted.  If  the  meetings  are  held  at  9  P.  M.,  as  is  quite 
customary,  many  young  men  from  the  classes,  etc.,  may  be 
induced  to  attend  them.  (See  "  The  Day  and  Week  of 
Prayer,"  Chap.  32,  F.) 

Special  meetings  for  young  men  only,  conducted  by  an 
experienced  evangelist,  are  often  held  and  with  excellent 
results.  If  a  sufficient  number  of  thoroughly  qualified 
men  shall  be  called  into  this  particular  field  there  will  no 
doubt  be  a  rapid  increase  in  such  meetings.  Success 
depends,  however,  not  simply  on  the  presence  of  an  earn- 
est and  capable  leader,  but  upon  the  consecrated  co-opera 
tion  of  the  local  workers,  as  well  as  upon  weeks  of  sys 
tematic  preparation. 


SECTION  C. 

EELIGIOUS    AVORK    OUTSIDE    THE    ROOMS. 

1. — Meetings  for  young  men  are  sometimes  held  in  board- 
ing houses,  either  on  a  week  day  evening  or  a  Sunday 


266  RELIGIOUS  MEETINGS,  ETC.       Chap.  22,  C,  2. 

afternoon,  a  delegation  of  workers  arranging  for  the  place 
and  hour,  and  extending  personal  invitations  to  the  young 
men  in  the  house  and  its  neighborhood.  The  meetings 
should  be  made  very  social,  with  a  good  deal  of  spirited 
singing,  and  should  not  last  over  an  hour.  Meetings  some- 
what similar  in  character  may  be  held  at  hotels  in  the  in- 
terest of  commercial  travellers  and  strangers.  Wherever 
there  is  any  considerable  number  of  Germans,  Scandina- 
vians, French  Canadians,  or  other  non-English  speaking 
young  men,  and  special  branches  of  the  Association  have 
not  been  organized  for  them,  meetings  should  be  estab- 
lished in  the  localities  where  they  live. 

Seamen  have  been  greatly  neglected  by  the  Associations. 
Meetings  should  be  held  on  vessels  in  harbors,  seamen  in- 
vited to  our  rooms,  and  correspondence  maintained  with 
them  after  they  leave  port. 

In  all  such  efforts  aid  may  be  secured  from  the  young 
men  in  the  religious  societies  of  the  various  churches. 

2. —  Woo'k  in  piiblic  institutions. — Jails  and  penitentia- 
ries, hospitals,  and  other  public  institutions  open  wide  doors 
for  personal  visitation  and  religious  meetings,  and  from 
the  large  numbers  of  j^oung  men  which  many  of  them 
contain  are  legitimate  fields  of  labor  for  the  Associations. 
Association  workers  should  confine  their  efforts  to  the 
male  wards  and  departments. 

3. — Sermons  to  young  men. — It  is  customary  to  ask 
pastors  to  give  a  discourse  on  the  Sunday  of  the  week  of 
prayer  touching  the  importance  and  methods  of  work  for 
young  men.  It  may  also  be  practicable  and  helj^ful  to 
have  occasional  sermons  or  addresses  specially  to  young 
men,  both  to  Christians  and  to  the  unconverted,  delivered 
under  Association  auspices.  These  may  relate  to  the  evils 
which  beset  young  men  and  the  vices  which  prevail 
among  them.  On  such  occasions  special  effort  should  be 
made  to  secure  the  attendance  of  young  men  at  the  ser- 
vices, which  may  be  either  at  the  Association  rooms  or  at 
the  speaker's  own  church. 


Chap.  22,  C,  5.      religious  meetings,  etc.  267 

4. — Distribution  of  religious  reading  matter. — System- 
atic work  in  this  direction,  although  carried  on  to  some 
extent,  is  entitled  to  more  time  and  effort,  especially  when 
considered  as  a  counteracting  influence  to  the  pernicious 
reading  with  which  every  community  is  flooded.  A  wise 
discrimination  is  needed,  first,  in  the  selection  of  such 
matter,  to  procure  that  which  is  attractive  in  form,  and, 
as  far  as  possible,  entertaining  as  well  as  practical  and 
pointed  in  character;  and,  second,  in  the  distribution,  to 
use  that  which  is  adapted  to  the  recipient.  There  is  a 
great  amount  and  variety  of  material,  cards,  tracts,  tract 
papers,  and  religious  newspapers,  much  of  it  tasteful  in 
typography  and  beautifully  illustrated;  and  a  competent 
committee  will  soon  become  sufliciently  conversant  with  it 
not  only  to  make  judicious  selections  but  to  helpfully  ad- 
vise individual  workers.  Tracts  for  young  men  on  per- 
sonal purity  and  kindred  subjects  are  especially  desirable. 

There  are  many  methods  of  distribution.  The  "  take 
one  "  box,  giving  out  to  men  on  the  street  and  in  public 
conveyances,  or  to  seamen  on  ships  in  port  or  in  seamen's 
boarding  houses,  and  inclosing  with  invitations  and  letters 
sent  out,  are  like  the  "sowing  beside  all  waters;  "but  a 
personal  and  premeditated  work  is  likely  to  secure  a  better 
percentage  of  results.  Especially  should  every  worker 
have  carefully  assorted  material  with  which  to  effectually 
supplement  his  conversations  with  inquirers.  Such  publi- 
cations can  be  procured  in  quantities  at  little  more  than 
cost,  most  houses  making  special  terms  to  the  Associations. 
The  American  Tract  Society  gives  a  liberal  discount. 

5. —  The  invitation  committee. —  A  well  organized  and 
active  committee  will  come  into  contact  during  the  year, 
and  over  and  over  again,  with  a  large  percentage  of  the 
young  men  of  the  community,  reaching  them  with  the 
printed  and  often  the  spoken  invitation,  perhaps  the  only 
religious  message  that  ever  comes  personally  to  many  of 
them.  This  committee  is  usually  made  up  from  the 
younger  workers,  the  duties  being  readily  performed  by 


268  RELIGIOUS  MEETINGS,  ETC.       Chap.  22,  C,  5. 

beginners.  The  members  sometimes  have  tea  together  at 
the  building  before  an  evening  meeting,  and  after  a  season 
of  prayer  go  on  the  streets.  The  matter  distributed  con- 
sists of  invitations  to  the  rooms  and  especially  to  the  relig- 
ious meetings.  Unwise  use  of  Scripture  texts  on  street 
invitations  should  be  guarded  against,  also  sensational 
phraseology  and  flashy  printing.  Associations  have  some- 
times made  serious  mistakes  in  those  directions.  The  re- 
sults from  this  work  are  constant  and  encouraging.  Success 
depends  largely  upon  the  taste  and  variety  of  the  printed 
matter,  and  the  earnest  tact  of  the  committee.  The  invita- 
tion committee  is  usually  a  sub-committee  of  that  on  re- 
ligious work.     (See  Chap.  8,  D,  4.) 


CHAPTER  23. 

THE   PLACE   AND    VALUE    OF   THE   SEOUL J.R 
DEPARTMENTS.  ■• 


1. — Although  beginning  with  the  single  idea  of  benefit- 
ing young  men  spiritually,  the  committee  of  the  London 
Association  reported  as  early  as  its  third  half  yearly  meet- 
ing the  formation  of  mutual  improvement  (or  literary)  so- 
cieties, in  order  to  bring  young  men  under  the  influence  of 
the  Association  who  could  not  be  reached  by  directly  re- 
ligious agencies.  The  report  says  :  "  We  shall  deem  it  no 
unimportant  result  if  in  any  instance  we  can  lead  to  the 
library  of  useful  knowledge,  rather  than  to  cards  or  bill- 
iards, to  the  cigar  divan,  concert  room,  theatre,  or  the 
seductive  and  polluting  resort.  In  a  time  when  every 
weapon  of  offence  is  used  for  the  purpose  of  blasphemy, 
reproach,  and  sin,  no  restrictions  should  be  placed  upon 
the  agencies  which  may  be  used  to  extend  the  influences 
of  knowledge  and  virtue,  especially  v/hen  these  agencies 
are  directed  by  Christian  men."  The  first  j)ractical  move 
in  the  direction  indicated  was  the  institution,  in  the  fall 
of  1845,  of  the  Exeter  Hall  Lectures,  which  were  con- 
tinued under  the  same  auspices  for  twenty  years.  Four 
years  later  library  and  reading  rooms  were  opened,  and 
not  only  for  members  but  "for  all  whom  their  influence 
could  reach."  Earnest  care  was  taken  that  these  pro- 
visions should  be  kept  as  "auxiliaries  to,  not  substitutes 
for,  the  main  object  of  the  Association."    And  it  is  stated 

*See"  Ihe  growth  of  secxilar  agencies  in  our  work,"  Int.  pph.  No.  593. 
Chapters  23  and  21  are  reprinted  arj  Int.  ppb.  No.  61. 


270  VALUE   OF  THE   SECULAR  WORK.        Chap.  23,  2. 

that,  in  accordance  with  the  desire  and  exj^ectation  of  the 
committee,  *'many  of  those  who  attended  the  library  and 
reading  rooms  were  led  to  frequent  the  religious  meetings 
and  to  accept  Christ,"  and  that  '*very  many  of  those 
brought  v/ithin  the  spiritual  influence  of  the  Association 
could  not  otherwise  have  been  reached."  A  summary  of  the 
first  World's  Conference  (Paris,  1855),  mentions  among 
indirect  means  employed  in  the  work  reading  rooms,  lib- 
raries, lectures,  evening  classes,  etc.  The  records  of  the 
first  live  years  of  the  London  Association  clearly  set  forth 
the  principles  underlying  present  theory  and  practice.  It 
Avill  be  noticed  that  the  secular  agencies  first  introduced 
Avere  intellectual.  Something  of  the  social  element  ap- 
pears in  connection  with  the  half  yearly  meetings,  but  the 
present  phases  of  both  the  physical  and  social  work  are  of 
comparatively  recent  date.  They  were  introduced  by  de- 
grees, and  no  doubt  a  similar  process  will  go  on  in  the 
future.  The  action  of  all  these  agencies  is  now  recognized 
as  controlled  by  a  single  aim,  namely,  to  benefit  men  by 
symmetrical  bodily,  mental,  and  spiritual  development. 
No  one  of  these  departments  can  be  omitted  in  a  complete 
Association  work. 

2. — The  following  facts  and  suggestions  are  given  re- 
garding secular  work  in  general  : 

a. — The  size  of  the  associate  membership  will  be  largely 
in  proportion  to  the  number  and  excellence  of  the  secular 
privileges.* 

h. — Different  agencies  influence  different  persons.  There 
should  be  variety,  and  effort  to  adapt  the  agencies  to  the 
needs  of  the  particular  field. 

c. — That  Association  is  most  successful  in  this  adapta- 

*  The  very  large  proi^ortiou  of  associate  members  in  the  following  cities  in 
1890  ehows  the  attraction  of  the  secular  privileges. 
New  York,  total  membership  7,204 

Chicago,  "  " 

Vhiladelphia, 
Boston, 
Brooklyn, 

23,601  7,116  16,486 


7,204 

active  1,245 

associate  5,959 

5.389 

1,797 

"        3.592 

4.183 

"       1.522 

2,666 

3.430 

"       1,340 

2,090 

3.390 

"      1.212 

2,178 

Chap.  23,  2.      value  of  the  secular  work.  271 

tioii  which  reaches  the  different  classes  of  young  men  in 
proportionate  numbers.  The  next  best  thing  is  to  reach 
the  largest  number  of  the  largest  class. 

d. — Each  member  should  be  studied  and  effort  made  to 
draw  him  under  the  influence  of  the  department  that  will 
best  round  him  out  into  a  complete  man.  This  is  a  diffi- 
cult undertaking,  as  it  will  often  run  comiter  to  his  natural 
inclination.  The  gymnast  who  is  not  a  Christian  needs  to 
become  one,  and  the  Christian  Avorker  who  neglects  men- 
tal or  physical  development  needs  enlightenment  as  to  his 
duty  and  privilege  in  these  directions. 

6. — There  are  differences  of  opinion,  and  probably 
always  will  be,  as  to  the  wisdom  of  certain  features  and 
agencies  in  the  work.  What  can  be  properly  and  advan- 
tageously employed  in  a  given  field  must  be  decided 
largely  by  the  individual  Association,  influenced  by  the 
opinion  of  the  evangelical  Christians  in  its  community. 
There  should  be  hesitation  in  publicly  criticising  methods 
having  any  considerable  endorsement  among  Association 
men,  and  not  at  variance  with  the  settled  principles  of  the 
organization. 

f. — Great  care  should  be  exercised  in  introducing  entirely 
new  features.  Tendencies  and  results  should  be  carefully 
noted,  and  doubtful  methods  discarded.  It  will  be  safe 
to  follow  the  spirit  of  the  Paris  basis. 

g. — Every  secular  appliance  should  be  good,  the  best 
possible  of  its  kind,  commanding  the  attention  and  re- 
spect of  those  whom  it  is  desired  to  reach. 

A. — A  comprehensive  plan  should  be  made  each  year  for 
the  entire  work  of  the  Association,  including  any  special 
appointments  in  each  department.  Digressions  from  this 
plan  ought  to  be  seldom,  if  ever,  necessary.  The  time, 
place,  and  other  arrangements  for  the  religious  meetings 
should  be  such  so  as  to  naturally  draw  into  them  the 
young  men  who  are  interested  in  the  secular  departments. 

/. — In  newspaper  notices  of  the  work,  and  in  the  pro- 
spectus,   bulletins,    and  reports,    each  department  should 


272  VALUE   OF  THE  SECULAR  WORK.        Chap.  33,  2. 

be  given  its  proper  place,  being  neither  belittled  nor  given 
undue  prominence. 

j. — Contact  with  the  Association  through  the  secular 
agencies  generally  wears  off  that  prejudice  against  the  in- 
stitution so  widely  existing  among  non-Christian  young- 
men. 

k. — The  secular  features,  especially  those  of  an  educa- 
tional character,  are  likely,  through  their  practical  value, 
to  attract  the  attention  of  business  men  and  command  their 
support. 

I. — It  is  essential  to  the  best  success  that  the  leaders  in 
all  departments  be  manly  Christians. 

in. — The  spiritual  life  and  power  should  always  be  in  ad- 
vance. Every  agency  should  contribute  to  the  awakening 
and  growth  of  the  Christian  life. 

n. — Systematic  provision  should  be  made  for  bringing 
the  workers  into  contact  with  the  associate  members 
throughout  all  departments. 

o. — The  active  members  should  be  guarded  in  their  in- 
tercourse with  the  associate  members,  who  will  not  always 
discriminate  between  mere  carelessness  and  real  incon- 
sistency. They  should  so  carry  themselves  that  they  may 
easily  and  at  any  time  ap}>roach  their  fellows  on  the  sub- 
ject of  personal  religion. 


OHAr>TER  24r. 
THE  EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT.'^ 

SECTION  A. 

THE    READING    ROOM. 

1. — As  is  shown  in  the  preceding  chapter  the  reading 
room  was  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  so-called  secular  agen- 
cies adopted,  and  it  soon  grew  into  general  favor.  To- 
day it  is  the  most  common  of  all  appliances,  existing  in 
nearly  every  Association  where  any  room  is  kept  open.  In 
1890  there  were  779  reading  rooms  for  young  men  and  88 
for  boys  in  connection  with  the  American  Associations. 
For  many  young  men  it  would  be  difficult  to  provide 
an  attraction  possessing  greater  or  more  lasting  merit 
than  a  well-stocked  and  orderly  reading  room.  Where 
Association  rooms  are  maintained  with  supervision,  such  a 
room  is  always  practicable.  It  is  useful  in  itself  as  a  means 
of  informing  and  educating  men,  and,  with  right  direc- 
tion, improving  their  tastes  ;  it  is  economical,  providing 
reading  matter  in  amount,  variety,  and  class  that  few 
could  get  by  other  methods  ;  it  affords  opportunity  to 
counteract  in  a  measure  the  influence  of  pernicious  and 
trashy  reading  matter  by  offering  that  which  is  better  ;  it 
is  readily  appreciated  and  will  almost  invariably  com- 
mend the  Association  to  a  community;  it  forms  an  ex- 
cellent basis  upon  and  around  which  to  build  up  a  health- 
ful and  religious  resort. 

*  A  form  of  report  for  this  department  is  suggested  in  sample  No.  24. 


274       THE  EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT.   Chap.  24,  A,  2. 

2.— A  public  reading  room  requires  large  cubic  dimen- 
sions and  the  best  possible  ventilation,  as  the  attendance  is 
often  greater  and  more  promiscuous  than  that  in  other 
apartments.  The  best  light  is  needed  both  day  and  even- 
ing. Artificial  lights  should  be  either  directly  over 
tables  and  supplied  with  large  shades,  or,  better,  all  in  the 
upj^er  part  of  the  room,  so  that  the  eyes  of  readers  may 
escape  the  glare.  Either  hard  wood  or  linoleum  is  pre- 
ferable to  matting  or  carpet.  Inclined  reading  desks  with 
stationary  files  are  perhaps  necessary  for  daily  papers  in 
frequent  use,  and  must  sometimes  be  so  high  that  the 
readers  must  stand,  in  order  to  keep  them  from  remaining 
too  long,  but  tables,  easy  chairs,  and  portable  files  are 
more  attractive  and  homelike.  There  should  be  neat  wall 
racks,  properly  labeled,  uj^on  which  files  ought  to  be 
promptly  replaced  either  by  the  readers  or  an  attendant. 

3. — The  approach  should  always  be  under  supervision, 
and  the  arrangement  of  the  rooms  such  as  to  place  the 
reading  room  under  easy  control  from  the  ofilice.  This  may 
often  be  done  by  a  glazed  partition.  The  room  should  be 
shut  off,  if  possible,  from  noisy  portions  of  the  building, 
and  order  and  quiet  be  strictly  insisted  on.  Conveniences 
for  the  safe-keeping  of  hats,  overcoats,  etc.,  will  suggest 
good  manners.  Absence  of  spittoons  and  a  neat  floor  will 
be  better  than  notices  not  to  use  tobacco, 

4. — The  room  should  be  used  for  legitimate  purposes 
only.  Loungers,  of  whatever  age  or  condition,  should  be 
excluded.  These  often  include  a  class  of  chronic  readers, 
both  old  and  young  men,  seemingly  with  no  other  employ- 
ment, whose  continued  presence  and  occupation  of  the 
daily  papers  are  extremely  annoying.  They  must  be 
quietly  but  firmly  shown  that  they  are  trespassing  upon 
the  rights  of  others.  Discrimination  must  be  used  so  as 
not  in  any  case  to  repel  deserving  young  men, — those  who 
may  be  temporarily  out  of  employment,  strangers,  or  oc- 
casional visitors.  This  whole  matter  is  best  regulated  by 
a  system  of  registration  and  readers'  tickets.     (See  foot 


Chap.  24,  A,  7.    the  educatio^'Al  department.  275 

note,  Chap.  9,  D,  3.)  Persons  of  uncleanly  habits  and 
young  boys  should  of  course  be  excluded.  In  some  of  the 
smaller  towns,  boys  are  admitted  at  certain  hours,  but  a 
separate  apartment  for  them  is  far  preferable.  Disorder 
of  any  kind  should  be  so  suppressed  as  to  prevent  the  like- 
lihood of  its  repetition. 

5. — The  ordinary  week-day  hours  are  from  9  a.m.  to  10 
P.M.,  the  largest  attendance  usually  being  in  the  evening. 
Most  city  Associations  open  their  reading  rooms  on  Sun- 
day afternoon,  and  some  both  afternoon  and  evening.  It 
is  not  usual  to  open  any  of  the  Association  rooms  during 
the  regular  hours  of  church  services.  General  sentiment 
strongly  favors  removing  secular  papers  on  Sunday.  Per- 
sonal invitations  to  the  meetings  may  be  quietly  given  in 
the  reading  room,  or  printed  ones  handed  strangers  as 
they  enter. 

6. — There  should  be  systematic  effort  to  come  into  close 
contact  with  the  young  men  v/ho  are  attracted  by  the  read- 
ing room.  The  secretaries  and  the  evening  committee 
may  do  this  through  the  registry  system  just  mentioned. 
Employes  and  members  should  not  violate  the  rules  by 
conversing  in  the  reading  room,  and  it  is  generally  unwise 
to  interrupt  readers  by  speaking  to  them.  Quietly  hand- 
ing them  a  card  asking  them  to  stop  at  the  office  before 
going  out  will  serve  a  better  purpose.  It  is  often  necessary 
to  place  a  time  limit  on  the  use  of  dailies  when  others  are 
waiting — generally  ten  to  fifteen  minutes. 

7.— Papers  should  be  filed  promptly,  and  removed  as 
soon  as  they  become  ragged  or  soiled.  On  portable  files 
it  may  be  well  to  have  but  one  or  two  copies,  especially  of 
the  weeklies.  Exceptions  should  be  made  of  papers  con- 
taining advance  notes  on  the  international  Sunday-school 
lessons.  Papers  should  be  carefully  folded  and  cut  when 
filed.  Files  of  the  more  important  periodicals,  including 
at  least  one  of  the  leading  dailies,  should  be  preserved  for 
reference,  and  many  of  them  bound.  Magazines  are  often 
kept  in  the  library  or  in  charge  of  the  secretary,  to  be  given 


276  THE  EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTIMENT.      Chap.  24,  A,  8. 

out  on  call.  If  the  .smaller  j^apers  and  magazines  are  filed 
in  patent  hinders  and  j^laced  on  tables  with  properly- 
labelled  divisions,  they  Avill  he  kept  in  good  condition  and 
he  convenient  for  use,  hut  when  left  scattered  about  they 
soon  become  soiled  and  dog-eared.  The  binder  Avill  be 
much  more  easily  recognized  if  the  maker  puts  the  covers 
of  the  magazine  to  which  it  is  appropiated  on  its  front  and 
back.  A  coat  of  varnish  will  insure  durability.  A  list  of 
the  periodicals  should  be  conspicuously  posted  in  the  read- 
ing room,  and  with  it  any  needed  rules. 

8. — The  periodicals  selected  should  be  adapted  to  those 
who  are  to  use  them,  and  also  as  varied  as  possible.  In 
general  it  pays  to  get  the  best.  It  is  not  worth  while  to 
lumber  the  files  with  useless  matter  because  it  is  free  or 
cheap,  but  it  is  far  better  to  maintain  the  moral  and  lit- 
erary tone  by  discarding  everything  doubtful.  Papers  of 
this  class  are  constantly  sent  to  the  Associations  with  the 
hope  that  they  will  be  filed.  Some  publishers  of  desirable 
periodicals  will  send  them  for  the  asking  ;  others  will  *' ex- 
change" on  application  if  the  usual  '*  reading  notices"  are 
inserted  in  the  Association  bulletin.  No  paper  should  be 
filed  without  the  sanction  of  the  proper  committee. 

9. — For  the  average  reading  room  several  dailies  will 
be  needed,  at  least  one  metropolitan  in  addition  to  the 
locals,  and,  if  practicable,  papers  from  a  number  of  lead- 
ing cities.  The  political  parties  must  be  recognized,  as 
well  as  the  leading  evangelical  denominations  and  great 
reform  organizations.  Effort  should  be  made  to  furnish 
religious  reading  in  its  more  attractive  forms,  that  it  may 
be  sought  by  the  largest  number.  The  higher  order  of 
secular  literature  should  be  a  leading  feature.  Younger 
readers  should  be  well  provided  for.  Such  periodicals  as 
the  Ybiith^s  Companion,  Harper^s  Young  People,  /St. 
Nicholas,  Wide  Aioake,  and  corresponding  English  young 
folks'  papers  ought  to  supplant  all  second  rate  matter. 
'*  Our  Dumb  Animals,"  and  kindred  publications  should 
be  found   in   every  reading  room.     A  strong  point  can 


Chap.  34,  A,  11.      THE  EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT.  277 

always  be  made  by  putting  in  generous  files  of  journals 
suited  to  the  industries  of  the  town.  No  one  appreciates 
a  good  reading  room  more  than  the  average  mechanic. 
The  files  should  include  at  least  one  periodical  each  for 
railroad  men,  clerks  and  bookkeepers,  stenographers,  fire- 
men, Grand  Army  men,  the  different  trades,  etc.  College 
papers  and  catalogues  will  be  of  interest  to  college  men 
and  students  intending  to  enter  college.  A  bicycle  journal, 
and  those  devoted  to  outdoor  sports,  as  Forest  and  Stream^ 
Outing,  etc.,  will  attract  many  young  men,  and  guide  books 
for  summer  tourists  are  useful  in  their  season.  If  papers 
printed  in  other  languages  are  demanded,  they  should  be 
supjjlied.  A  city  Association  will  find  it  serviceable  to 
file  the  weeklies  of  surrounding  villages,  as  the  young  men 
from  these  places  will  be  interested,  in  the  home  papers. 
Journals  representing  work  for  young  men  or  young 
people  are  especially  desirable.  Many  Association  bulletins 
are  worth  i^reserving,  and  may  be  placed  on  a  table  by 
themselves.  Announcements  of  the  arrival  of  magazines, 
with  lists  of  their  leading  articles,  conspicuously  posted, 
will  promote  their  use. 

10. — Periodicals  can  sometimes  be  obtained  direct  from 
the  publishers  at  better  rates  than  elsewhere.  It  is  con- 
venient to  have  all  subscriptions  expire  at  the  same  time. 
There  should  be  system  and  promptness  in  renewing  or 
discontinuing  papers.  This  may  be  facilitated  by  a  prop- 
erly kept  "  periodical  book,"  showing  such  facts  as  the 
name  of  each  publication  on  file,  where  published,  how 
often,  class  or  character,  stated  terras,  price  paid,  where  or 
of  whom  obtained,  and  date  to  which  payment  has  been 
made.  Bills  have  sometimes  been  presented  for  several 
years  arrearage  when  the  periodical  was  supposed  to  be  do- 
nated. 

11. — -No  valuable  reading  matter  should  be  wasted.  That 
which  is  not  kept  for  permanent  reference  is  useful  for  dis- 
tribution in  many  directions,  for  instance,  among  seamen 
or  canal  boatmen,  or  in   railroad   cabooses,  fire,  police   or 


278  THE  EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT.         Chap.  24,  A,  12. 

Street  car  stations,  lios})itals,  or  prisons,  or  it  maybe  sent 
to  soldiers  on  the  frontier. 

12. — There  is  of  late  a  tendency  towards  restricting  the 
privileges  of  the  reading  room  to  members  only.  There 
are  two  main  reasons  for  this  ;  the  more  expensively  fur- 
nished rooms  in  the  new  buildings,  and  the  imposition  to 
which  the  Association  with  a  "  free  reading  room"  is  con- 
stantly subjected.  In  the  larger  Associations  it  may  be 
practicable  to  maintain  two  reading  rooms,  one  especially 
for  the  members  ;  if  not,  a  wise  discrimination  should  be 
able  to  so  control  the  room  as  not  to  exclude  self-respecting 
young  men.  A  peremptory  closing  of  the  public  reading 
room,  besides  depriving  many  of  a  needed  privilege,  shuts 
off  a  principal  avenue  of  approach  hy  which  young  men, 
and  especially  strangers,  are  brought  into  contact  with 
the  Association.  Many  first  found  in  the  reading  room 
can  be  brought  into  membership,  and  not  a  few  come  from 
it  into  the  religious  meetings  and  are  led  to  Christ.  Any 
tendenc}''  to  seeming  exclusiveness  will  also  lessen  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Association  with  the  industrial  classes  and 
throw  it  out  of  sympathy  with  the  community  generally. 

13. — The  following  applies  onl}^  to  the  smaller  Associa- 
tions. Where  but  a  small  cash  expenditure  is  possible,  the 
suppl}^  ma}^  sometimes  be  supplemented  by  second-hand 
matter,  particularly  in  the  case  of  monthly  magazines.  A 
better  Ava}^  however,  is  to  induce  one  or  more  j^ersons  to 
subscribe  for  a  certain  periodical  for  the  year.  The  club 
plan  is  sometimes  adopted,  sections  of  four  subscribing  for 
as  many  monthlies,  each  having  a  week's  reading  of  each, 
in  turn,  and  the  Association  coming  in  as  the  beneficiary 
at  the  end  of  the  month.  Bj  organizing  several  sections  a 
fine  variety  of  magazines  may  be  secured.  The  local  town 
and  county  papers  will  often  be  donated,  and  clergj^men 
can  frequently  secure  their  denominational  papers  free,  at 
least  for  the  first  yeai-.  , 


Chap.  24,  B,  2.    the  educational  department.  279 

SECTION  B. 

THE      LIBKARY.  * 

1. —  Usefulness.— In  1890  the  Associations  had  649  librar- 
ies for  young  men,  with  an  aggregate  of  437,347  volumes, 
and  74  libraries  for  boys.  A  well  selected  library  is  a  very 
valuable  feature  in  connection  with  an  Associatioi],  con- 
serving or  fostering  its  interests  in  many  directions.  It  as- 
sures the  favorable  consideration  of  that  most  important 
element  in  every  community,  the  people  of  taste  and  cul- 
ture ;  it  holds  the  interest  of  the  more  intellectual  young 
men,  from  whom  the  most  is  to  be  expected  in  the  way  of 
intelligent  and  stable  co-operation ;  lines  of  technical  books 
draw  to  the  Association  the  earnest  students  in  the  various 
trades  and  professions  ;  and  the  librarian,  by  constant 
effort,  may  direct  the  reading  of  many  j^oung  men  into  right 
channels,  and  greatly  improve  their  literary  taste.  In  fact 
every  hundred  volumes  placed  upon  the  shelves  is  not  only 
more  power  for  good  but  an  added  guarantee  of  the  per- 
manency of  the  institution.  In  some  towns  the  Association 
may  have  the  only  public  library,  but  even  if  there  are 
other  excellent  facilities  of  this  kind,  the  Association  can 
ill  afford  to  do  without  a  library,  and  can  gather  one  that 
is  more  select  and  more  generally  helpful  to  young  men. 

2. — Reference  and  Lending. — The  library  will  usually 
include  a  reference  and  a  lending  department.  Many 
expensive  and  cyclopedic  books  should  not  be  taken 
from  the  rooms  ;  but  as  many  young  men  will  be  unable 
to  spend  much  time  at  the  building  the  general  library 
should,  whenever  practicable,  be  lending.  The  department 
should  be  emphasized  that  is  most  needed  hj  the  3^oung 
men  of  the  place,  in  view  of  facilities  ofl'ered  them  bj" 
neighboring  institutions.  Readers  should  be  liable  for  the 
loss  or  unusual  damage  of  a  volume. 

*  See  "  Association  Libraries  and  Librarians,"  Int.  pph.  No.  590.  Also  "Young 
Men's  Era,"  1891,  p.  582. 


380  'I'ttE  EDUCATIONAL  DBPARTMENT.      Chap.  24,  B,  3. 

3. — Apartments. — These  accommodate  from  one  thou- 
sand to  perhaps  twenty-five  thousand  volumes.  In  every 
case  reasonable  provision  should  be  made  for  growth. 
Space  is  best  economized  by  the  alcove  system;  if  the  ceil- 
ing is  high,  one  or  more  galleries  may  be  introduced.  The 
room  may  be  lighted  from  above.  It  should  be  very  light 
and  pleasant,  with  tables  and  easy  chairs  to  accommodate 
a  number  of  readers,  and  if  possible  with  the  luxury  of  an 
open  fire-place.  The  librarian's  desk  should  be  so  located 
as  to  enable  him  most  conveniently  to  supervise  the  library, 
and  perhaps  the  reading  room  also.  The  lending  and  ref- 
erence divisions  ma}^  occupy  separate  rooms,  or  different 
parts  of  the  same  room,  divided  jDOssibly  by  a  low  railing. 
(See  Chap.  14,  C,  5.) 

4. — Accession,  Classification,  Cataloguing  and  Mark- 
ing. — Every  library  should  have  an  ^'  accession  book,"  in 
which  is  kept  an  account  Avith  each  volume  placed  upon 
the  shelves.  A  separate  number,  known  as  the  "  accession 
number,"  should  be  given  to  each,  followed  by  the  author, 
title,  place  of  publication,  publisher,  year,  pages,  size, 
binding,  source  from  whence  received,  cost,  and  class  and 
book  numbers,  a  column  being  given  to  each  item.  This 
record  will  be  valuable  in  many  ways.  Being  a  minute 
inventory,  it  will  afford  a  close  description  in  the  event  of 
loss  by  theft  or  fire. 

It  is  customary  to  classify  books  by  their  general  char- 
acter, keeping  each  class  by  itself.  It  is  usual  to  number 
books  upon  the  back  as  well  as  on  the  inside,  and  this  may 
be  done  by  a  gum  label,  or  with  white  and  black  inks, 
or  with  white  lead  applied  with  a  fine  brush. 

Every  library  of  a  thousand  volumes  should  be  carefully 
classified  on  an  expansive  system.  Let  a  class  number  in- 
dicate the  class  to  which  the  book  belongs,  and  a  book 
number  its  place  in  the  class.  Case  and  shelf  numbers  are 
undesirable.  Prof.  Dewey's  "  Decimal  Classification  "  sys- 
tem is  the  best.  The  sub-conference  of  those  interested  in 
the  library,  held  in  connection  with  the  International  Sec- 


Chap.  24,  B,  5.      THE  EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT.  281 

retaries'  Conference  in  1890  recommended  "all  Associa- 
tions to  adopt  the  decimal  system  of  classification  in  their 
libraries,  for  the  sake  of  uniformity  and  because  of  its  many 
advantages."  As  our  libraries  grow,  the  benefits  derived 
from  uniformity,  in  correspondence,  in  the  purchase  of 
supplies,  and  in  many  other  ways,  will  become  more  and 
more  apparent.  (See  Chap.  12,  7.)  A  card  catalogue  of 
authors  and  titles  and  sometimes  subjects,  arranged  alpha- 
betically on  the  "  dictionary  "*  plan  is  recommended.  A 
catalogue  in  book  form  may  be  made  with  little  trouble 
and  expense  by  taking  the  printed  catalogue  of  a  model 
library  or  a  list  of  good  books  and  indicating  on  the  mar- 
gin what  books  are  in  the  library.  The  titles  left  un- 
marked will  form  an  excellent  guide  in  making  purchases. 
Mr.  Frank  C.  Patten,  of  the  Library  School,  at  Albanj', 
N.  Y.,  introduced  this  plan  at  the  Association  in  that  city. 

A  book  plate  having  on  it  the  class  and  book  numbers, 
the  date  of  accession,  and  name  of  donor,  if  it  is  a  gift,  to- 
gether with  rules  of  the  library,  may  be  placed  inside  the 
first  cover.  A  manilla  pocket  to  hold  a  card  used  in  charging 
the  book  sometimes  takes  the  place  of  the  book  plate,  and 
bears  the  same  marks.  Many  libraries  paste  a  plain  mark 
of  OAvnership  on  the  outside  of  the  front  cover  of  every 
book.  There  is  a  growing  dislike  for  manilla  covers.  In 
many  instances  they  injure  the  binding  and  it  is  question- 
able whether  they  ever  pay  for  the  outlay,  while  all  agree 
that  every  book  so  covered  loses  its  identity.  A  "  seven 
daj^  book  "  label  is  often  pasted  on  the  outside  of  popular 
books  while  the  demand  is  great. 

5. —  Charging. — There  are  many  systems  of  charging. 
In  a  small  library,  from  which  say  fifty  volumes  are  drawn 
each  week,  a  simple  record  may  be  kept  in  a  narrow-page 
book  ruled  in  three  columns  ;  first  the  date,  second  the 
name,  third  the  number.  Credit  can  be  given  by  checking 
off  the  number.     Sometimes  the  books   are  charged   and 

*  See  Cutter's  "  Rules  for  a  Dictionary  Catalogue,"  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education, 


282 


THE  EDUCATIONAL   DEPARTMENT,      Chap.  24,  B,  5. 


credited  b}^  card  slips  wliicli  are  placed  in  a  box  and 
written  up  weekly.  In  this  case  the  cards  should  be  sorted 
and  the  debits  entered  in  alphabetical  order.  The  date 
may  also  be  written  at  the  top  of  the  page,  which  obviates 
the  need  of  a  date  column.  This  method  easily  shows  the 
books  that  are  overdue,  and  notices  maj"  be  sent  out  by 
weeks. 

Monday,  April  12,  1889. 


Armstrong,  J.  J. 

3220 

Burrows,  L.  C. 

1369 

Clark,  Wm. 

1333 

Another  simple  plan  is  to   keep   a  ledger   account  with 
each  borrower  as  follows  : 


John  Smith,  108  James  St. 

Loaned. 

No. 

Returned. 

j 

1—3— '89. 

1—12— '89. 

2— 1~'89. 

122,  E  37. 
267,  H  3. 
913,  B  12. 

1—12— '89. 
2—1— '89. 

A  fourth  line  may  be  added  for  fines,  or  these  may  be 
interlined.  A  wide  page  will  contain  a  double  set  of  three 
column  records.  The  card  slips,  with  either  a  daily  or 
weekly  posting,  may  be  used  also  with  this  system.  Most 
large  libraries  use  cards  for  charging  books,  keeping  them 
in  trays.  Methods  are  so  various  that  no  attempt  will  be 
made  to  illustrate  them  here.  Indeed  all  these  matters 
of  accession,  classification,  cataloguing,  marking,  and 
charging  are  intimatel}'  connected,  having  become  one  of 


Chap.  24,  B,  6.    the  educational  department.  283 

the  arts  of  modern  life,  and  the  student  is  referred  to 
sources  which  treat  them  more  fully  than  is  possible  in 
this  volume.*  Methods  must  be  adapted  to  the  size  and 
character  of  the  library  and  the  public  needs,  and  depend 
somewhat,  also,  upon  the  character  of  the  supervision.  The 
more  systematic  and  complete  its  arrangement,  the  more 
useful  will  the  library  be  to  its  patrons,  especially  in  its 
reference  department. 

On  a  new  member's  first  application  for  a  book,  it  is  a 
good  plan  to  have  him  sign  a  card  containing  the  librarj'- 
rules,  with  this  addition  :  "  Desiring  to  draw  books  from 
the  library,  I  agree  to  do  so  in  accordance  with  the  above 
rules."  While  this  agreement  furnishes  no  security  against 
a  member  who  intends  to  take  advantage  of  the  Associa- 
tion, it  is  a  decided  check  on  thoughtlessness,  to  which 
most  losses  are  due. 

A  catalogue  describing  labor-saving  devices  for  library 
and  office  work,  manj^  of  wliich  have  been  approved  b}^  the 
American  Library  Association,  is  sent  free  on  application 
to  the  Library  Bureau,  146  Franklin  St.,  Boston. 

6. — The  Librarian . — Only  the  larger  Associations  can 
employ  a  person  to  devote  his  wliole  time  to  the  librarj^ 
The  ofiice  of  librarian  is  honorable  and  responsible.  He 
comes  in  close  mental  contact  with  the  more  intelligent 
young  men,  both  of  the  active  and  associate  membership, 
and  the  lines  of  influence  open  to  him  are  exceptionally 
broad  and  strong.  Onl}^  a  man  possessing  a  full  apprecia- 
tion of  his  opportunities  and  duties  in  these  respects,  in  ad- 
dition to  his  other  qualifications,  is  really  fitted  for  this 
ofiice. 

Prof.  J.  H.  Gilraore,  of  Rochester  University,  in  a 
paper  read  at  the  International  Convention  in  1889,  says  : 

"  The  librarian  should  be  well  educated,  but  not  a  mere  book- 
worm ;  well  trained  in  library  economy,  but  not  a  mere  machine. 
He  should  be  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  the  religious  work  of 

*  S.  H.  Beny,  librarian  of  the  Brooklyn,  N  Y.  Association,  has  in  preparation 
a  pamphlet  entitled  ''The  Association  Library,  its  ticiministration  and  use.'" 


^84  ^'HE  EDtiCATiOXAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  24,  B,  6. 

the  Association — thoroughly  affable  (speak-to-able)  and  courteous. 
His  function  is  not  merely  to  purchase,  catalogue,  and  charge 
books  ;  but  (a)  to  elevate  the  character  of  the  books  read  by  those 
who  use  the  library — substituting  better  books  for  bad  books,  and, 
finally,  the  best  books  for  better  books.  In  the  crusade  against 
bad  books,  better  books  are  our  best  weapon.  A  fairly  good  book 
that  our  members  will  read  is  better  for  our  purposes  than  a 
thoroughly  good  book  that  they  will  let  alone. 

"  Suppose  we  mark  books,  with  reference  to  their  intellectual 
and  moral  excellence,  on  a  scale  from  ten  to  zero.  The  influence 
for  good  of  a  book  whose  value  is  ten,  but  which  two  members 
read,  is  twenty;  while  the  influence  for  good  of  a  book  whose 
value  is  only  five,  but  which  ten  members  read,  is  fifty. 

"(5)  The  librarian  should  help  the  members  in  the  choice  of 
their  reading,  and  to  do  this  should  know  the  men  as  w^ell  as  the 
books.  He  should  not  seek  to  do  too  much  at  once  ;  but  should 
endeavor  gradually  to  substitute  intelligent  choice  for  mere 
drift. 

"  The  librarian  should  aid  such  investigations  as  young  men  may 
desire  to  pursue  when  they  are  writing  papers,  preparing  for  de- 
bates, etc. ;  and,  especially,  aid  them  in  the  study  of  the  Bible,  in 
which  he  should  be  an  expert.  The  library  as  an  adjunct  to  Bible 
study  is  a  wide  theme.  The  Association  building  may  be,  and 
should  be,  the  center  for  an  exchange  of  opinions,  the  place  where 
expert  testimony  may  be  had  with  reference  to  all  questions  con- 
cerning the  written  word. 

"  (c)  By  thus  placing  young  men  under  personal  obligations,  and 
winning  their  confidence  and  respect,  the  librarian  should  lead 
them  to  Christ,  or  fit  them  for  greater  usefulness  in  his  service. 
This  will  be  the  definite  purpose — quietly,  unostentatiously,  but 
steadfastly  pursued — of  evety  librarian  who  is  worthy  of  the 
name." 

The  librarian  should  be  fully  admitted  into  the  fraternity 
of  secretaries,  and  his  presence  and  the  duties  of  his  office 
recognized  in  all  their  conferences.  When  a  librarian  can- 
not be  employed,  liis  place  should  be  suj^plied  by  volun- 
teer service,  as  far  as  practicable.  In  many  instances  the 
secretary  or  an  assistant  Avill  perform  his  duties,  especially 
during  the  day,  but  often  a  competent  librar^^  committee 
can  be  secured.  Men  adapted  to  tlie  work,  and  able  to 
give  evening  time  to  it,  should  be  selected  an*d  continued 


Chap.  24,  B,  8.    the  educational  department.  285 

for  several  years,  tliat  experience  may  be  added  to  natural 
qualifications. 

7. —  Order. — It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  a 
proper  care  of  the  library  will  include  order  and  neatness. 
Books  should  be  in  their  places  on  the  shelves  Avlien  not  in 
use,  free  from  dust  as  far  as  may  be,  and  in  good  repair. 
Very  damp  sawdust  is  useful  in  sweeping  and  a  slightly 
damp  cloth  in  dusting.  The  feather  duster  is  an  abomina- 
tion anywhere,  and  should  have  no  place  in  the  librar3^ 
The  few  necessary  rules  in  connection  with  the  library 
should  be  strictly  and  impartially  enforced. 

8. — Selecting  and  Buying  Books. — The  selection  and 
purchase  of  books  will  require  the  best  judgment  and  most 
discriminatincj-  taste  at  command.  Get  the  best  books  on 
each  subject,  or  the  best  for  the  purpose,  the  best  that  the 
readers  will  use.  The  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  num- 
ber, and  the  real  needs  of  the  few  should  both  be  con- 
sidered. Every  library  should  contain  a  certain  line  of 
standard  works— history,  fiction,  poetry,  and  general  litera- 
ture. 

Books  for  young  men,  intended  to  instruct,  counsel,  and 
encourage  in  regard  to  business,  social  life,  morals,  and  re- 
ligion should  be  fully  represented.  Of  this  large  class  are 
Smiles'  Self-Help,  Character,  Duty,  Thrift  ;  Matthews' 
Getting  on  in  the  World  ;  Trumbull's  Character  Shaping 
and  Character  Showing.  Some  of  these  may  easily  mark 
a  turning  point  in  the  reader's  life.  Books  on  recreation, 
and  indoor  and  outdoor  sports  will  be  useful  in  connection 
with  the  physical  department.  Small,  handy,  neat  look- 
ing books,  going  easily '  into  the  pocket,  are  especially 
desirable. 

At  least  one  encyclopedia  is  a  necessity,  and  works  of 
this  class,  including  dictionaries  and  general  and  technical 
works  of  reference,  can  hardly  be  too  numerous. 

In  a  manufacturing  community  special  attention  should 
be  given  to  mechanical  works,  the  latest  and  the  best.  A 
class  of  rare  or  expensive   books,  not   likely  to  be   found 


286  THE   EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  24,  B,  8. 

elsewhere,  will  add  greatly  to  the  value  of  the  library. 
Effort  should  be  made  to  keep  up  with  tlie  times,  placing 
promptly  on  the  shelves  all  new  publications  that  are  de- 
sirable, including  especially  books  of  history,  travel  and 
research,  science,  fiction,  and  general  literature. 

There  should  be  much  in  the  way  of  standard  and  pojj- 
ular  religious  writings,  and  the  reference  department  should 
be  rich  in  biblical  literature,  embracing  every  description 
of  helps  to  Bible  study. 

Such  works  as  the  Congressional  Record,  the  Census 
Reports,  and  many  other  government  publications  are  valu- 
able in  their  place,  and  can  be  secured  free  by  any  city 
Association  through  the  member  of  Congress,  or  on  applica- 
tion to  the  proper  departments. 

In  the  past  many  Associations  have  not  saved  their 
magazines  for  binding,but  the  importance  of  so  doing  cannot 
be  too  strongly  urged.  Much  valuable  matter  is  published 
in  this  form  first,  and  frequently  never  in  any  other.  As- 
sociations that  are  able  to  do  so  should  collect  full  sets  of 
some  of  the  best  magazines,  and  also  get  Poole's  "  Index 
to  Periodicals,"  original  volume,  which  covers  the  contents 
of  the  standard  magazines  of  the  Avorld  for  over  a  hundred 
years  back.  Other  Associations  might  profitably  fill  in 
many  sets  beginning  with  1882,  and  get  Poole's  "  Index," 
first  suj^plement,  which  covers  five  years,  from  1882  to 
1887  ;  and,  when  issued,  the  second  supplement,  from  1887 
to  1892  ;  and  the  annual  "Co-operative  Index  to  Period- 
icals." The  latter  should  be  in  everj^  reading  room  that 
has  even  half  a  dozen  magazines,  whether  there  has  been 
attempt  to  make  up  sets  or  not.  It  is  a  key  to  current  dis- 
cussions, valuable  to  every  reader  and  especially  to  mem- 
bers of  literary  societies. 

Many  excellent  books  for  the  young  are  now  published, 
blending  instruction  with  all  that  is  attractive  in  style  of 
composition,  typography,  and  illustration,  and  calculated 
to  supplant  the  lower  class  of  juvenile  books.  The  As- 
sociation library  has  in  this  connection    a   special  and  im- 


Chap.  24,  B,  9.      the   educational  DEPARTMEIi-T.  287 

portant  mission  to  the  boyi^.  When  they  have  a  separate 
room  ]l<.]ieir  books  should  usually  l)e  placed  in  it. 

^^i^reparing  lists  for  purchases  recourse  can  be  had  to 
catalogues  and  to  excellent  works  on  books  and  reading  ; 
discriminating  in  favor  of  the  best  books,  and  excluding 
peremptorily  everything  distinctively  faulty  in  either 
moral  or  literary  tone.  Quality  rather  than  quantity 
should  be  the  rule. 

It  is  very  desirable  that  something  new  be  added  at 
short  intervals.  There  is  no  better  way  of  bringing  the  en- 
tire library  into  use.  Many  readers  in  looking  to  see  what 
is  new  will  iind  something  old  that  just  meets  their  need. 
Without  regular  additions  the  library  soon  becomes  "dead 
stock"  in  the  estimation  of  members,  and  though,  of  course, 
it  is  still  valuable,  many  of  them  will  not  use  it  on  this 
account.  If  for  no  other  reason  frequent  purchases  should 
be  made,  be  they  ever  so  small. 

In  making  up  the  library  committee  one  or  more  men 
should  be  included  with  business  experience,  who  know  or 
will  acquaint  themselves  with  the  methods  of  the  book 
trade  and  be  able  to  secure  the  best  editions  and  at  the 
lowest  prices. 

Money  is  often  wasted  from  want  of  knowledge.  A 
large  price  is  paid  for  a  fair  book  when  a  better  could  have 
been  secured  for  half  the  money,  or  two  are  bought  when 
one  would  have  answered  the  same  purpose.  What,  where, 
and  how  to  buy  are  questions  to  which  answers  of  wide 
significance  could  be  given  by  a  competent  committee.  It  is 
also  suggested  that  many  a  man  before  whom  a  list  of  books 
was  i^laced  covSting  one  hundred  or  live  hundred  dollars 
might  be  induced  to  purchase  the  entire  lot  as  his  jjersonal 
contribution.  Such  a  contribution  might  well  be  com- 
memorated by  placing  the  name  of  the  donor  in  the  books. 

9. —  Ways  and  Means. — An  endowment  fund  is  the  only 
reliable  basis,  and  effort  should  be  made  to  secure  one. 
The  beginning  may  be  small,  but  once  started  it  is  sure  to 
grow.   Till  such  a  fund  is  in  existence  some  library  ap2:)ro- 


288  'J'HE   EDUCATIONAL   DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  24,  B,  10. 

priation,  if  only  ten  dollars,  should  be  put  in  the  annual 
budget,  as  systematic  effort  will  have  an  educating  in- 
fluence. It  may  be  practicable  to  add  to  this  by  an  oc- 
casional entertainment  or  a  special  subscription,  which,  al- 
though realizing  larger  sums,  should  still  be  considered  as 
only  supplemental  to  the  regular  appropriation.  Sometimes 
valuable  books  are  given,  j^erhaps  through  a  book  recep- 
tion, Avhich  method,  with  all  its  faults,  has  added  to  As- 
sociation libraries  many  useful  books.  When  those  invited 
to  such  a  reception  are  asked  to  each  bring  a  book  or  an 
order  for  one,  either  a  list  of  books  needed  or  some  sug- 
gestions as  to  the  kind  of  books  desired  might  well  accom- 
pany the  invitation.  Or  it  might  be  better  to  make  such 
request  at  the  reception,  rather  than  in  advance,  perhaps 
by  posting  in  the  rooms  lists  of  desirable  books,  with  their 
prices  and  space  opposite  each  title  for  the  name  of  a  per- 
son who  may  offer  to  secure  it  for  the  library  or  to  furnish 
the  price  of  it.  Much  worthless  matter  is  sometimes  given 
to  an  Association,  and  there  is  a  strong  temptation  to  put 
everything  on  the  shelves,  for  tlie  sake  of  swelling  the 
number  of  volumes  or  for  fear  of  giving  offence.  There 
should  be  an  understanding  that  duplicates  or  undesirable 
books  donated  may  be  sold  or  exchanged. 

10. — Advertising  the  Library/. — Constant  effort  should 
be  made  in  this  direction.  Post  in  the  rooms,  or  insert  in 
the  Association  bulletin  or  in  the  newspaj^ers,  lists  and  brief 
descriptions  of  new  books,  and  special  lists  adapted  to  the 
season,  to  questions  of  the  day,  or  to  particular  classes  of 
readers.  For  example,  in  the  spring  a  selection  on  out- 
door life  and  sports,  including  such  books  as  Thoreau's 
and  Burroughs'  ;  or,  when  protection  and  free  trade  are 
generally  discussed,  a  list  of  everything  that  the  library 
has  on  both  sides  ;  or  lists  covering  questions  to  be  debated 
by  literary  societies  in  the  Association  or  elsewhere  in  the 
city.  Lists  of  books  on  mechanical  lines  may  be  mailed 
to  men  in  factories,  or  placed  in  their  pay  envelopes,  or 
posted  in  the  shops.  There  should  be  an  occasional  talk  by 


Chap.  24,  O,  2.    the  kducational  dp:partment.  289 

the  librarian  or  a  coinniilteeinaji  on  new  hooks,  the  best 
books  in  certain  lines,  the  use  of  reference  books,  etc. 

If  practicable  give  the  members  free  access  to  the  books, 
or  at  least  to  a  single  case,  so  located  that  all  coming  in 
will  see  it.  Put  in  it  new  books,  or  those  mentioned  in 
the  special  lists.  Many  members  will  select  a  large  share 
of  their  reading  from  this  case.  Ingenuity  will  discover 
many  other  like  methods. 

The  contents  of  other  public  libraries  in  the  place  may 
be  brought  before  our  members  in  similar  ways,  after  con- 
sultation with  the  officers  of  such  libraries. 

11. — Helpers. — Some  of  the  more  earnest  and  generously 
disposed  readers  may  be  developed  into  helpers  somewhat 
like  the  '* leaders"  described  in  chapter  25,  D,  4,  h.  The 
educational  class  teachers  also  should  recommend  to  their 
pupils  the  use  of  helpful  books. 


SECTION  C. 

kdu(;ational  classes. 

1. —  The  N'eed. — The  educational  class  is  one  of  the  most 
practical  branches  of  the  secular  work.  In  every  city  are 
many  young  men  who  are  deficient  in  education,  from 
lack  or  neglect  of  early  opj^ortunities.  The  ordinary 
schools  are  beyond  their  reach,  but  evening  class  instruc- 
tion is  a  possible  and  excellent  substitute.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  thousands  of  men  occupy  positions  to-day  which 
they  could  not  have  attained  except  for  these  evening 
schools  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations. 

2. —  Growth. — Although  a  few  Associations  carried  on 
this  work  from  an  early  period,  yet  its  growth  was  slow, 
and  only  a  beginning  has  even  now  been  made.  (It  must 
be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  all  the  Associations  in 
colleges  and  some  of  those  in  small  towns  have  no  occa- 
sion for  this  work).     In   1872,  twenty-one  years  after  the 


290  THE   E1)UCATI0IN-AL  DEPARTME^-T.      Chap.  24,  C,  3. 

organization  of  the  first  American  societies,  only  ten  As- 
sociations reported  work  of  this  charactero  In  1878  the 
number  liad  grown  to  49  ;  in  1883  it  was  156  ;  and  in  1890 
it  Avas  310,  each  conducting  from  one  to  fifteen  classes, 
and  292  Associations  reported  an  aggregate  of  18,07o  dif- 
ferent students  in  attendance.  In  addition  to  these  classes 
23  Associations  had  classes  for  boys.  In  several  cities  the 
number  attending  the  classes  exceeds  that  of  the  students 
in  most  colleges. 

3. —  Tlie  Committee. — The  committee  in  charge  of  this 
work  includes  among  its  duties  the  organization  and  super- 
vision of  the  classes  and  the  securing  of  instructors.  Its 
members  should  visit  the  classes  often  in  order  to  gain  a 
personal  knowledge  of  the  methods  of  instruction  and  the 
progress  of  the  pupils.  It  may  be  well  to  place  one  of 
them  in  charge  of  each  class,  expecting  him  to  be  present  at 
least  once  a  month,  and  to  report  his  observations  at  the 
monthly  meeting  of  the  committee.  Occasional  visits  from 
the  officers  and  friends  of  the  Association  will  stimulate 
and  encourage  both  pupils  and  instructors. 

4. — Branches  taught. — The  branches  taught  will  depend 
upon  the  demand — which  will  in  turn  be  largely  governed 
by  the  make  up  of  the  membership.  Usually  this  is  com- 
posed chiefly,  though  in  varying  proportions,  of  the  mer- 
cantile, the  industrial,  and  the  student  classes.  The  first 
named  will  call  for  classes  in  bookkeeping,  penmanship, 
commercial  arithmetic,  stenography,  typewriting,  and 
modern  languages  employed  in  commercial  life.  The  young 
artisan  will  desire  instruction  in  practical  mathematics, 
clay  modeling,  wood  carving,  mechanical  or  architectural 
drawing,  and  applied  mechanics.  Such  branches  as  vocal 
music,  elocution,  English  grammar,  spelling  and  composi- 
tion, physiolog}",  civil  government,  etc.,  will  attract  persons 
of  all  classes  according  to  individual  tastes  and  needs.  The 
demand  is  sometimes  ascertained  by  sending  to  the  mem- 
bers a  list  of  studies,  with  a  request  that  they  will  ch«ck 
such    as    they    desire   to  take   up  ;    when   classes   can    be 


Chap.  24,  C,  6.    the  educatio^'Al  department.  291 

provided  in  tliose  branches  having  a  sufficient  number  of 
applicants.  Ambitious  young  men  should  be  warned 
against  undertaking  more  than  they  can  successfully  carry 
througli. 

5. — Excellent  suggestions  have  been  made  of  late  look- 
in  «•  to  a  more  oreneral  introduction  of  such  liberal  studies 
as  history,  literature,  political  economy,  and  social  science. 
Thus  far  the  classes  have  been  largely  in  practical  lines 
of  study  ;  but  as  has  been  said,  "  a  man  needs  knowledge 
not  only  as  a  means  of  livelihood  but  as  a  means  of  life," 
using  the  w^ord  in  its  broader  sense.  "  We  need  to  promote," 
says  a  prominent  educator,  "  bj^  good  teaching  or  con- 
versational lectures,  a  knowledge  of  good  books  among 
our  members,  to  cultivate  better  habits  of  reading,  to  show 
young  fellows  how  they  can  better  employ  and  better 
enjoy  their  leisure."  Great  social  and  political  problems 
also  are  to  be  solved  by  the  next  generation,  and  Amer- 
ican young  men  need,  more  than  ever,  a  knowledge  of 
history,  and  of  the  true  principles  of  government  and  of 
society,  to  fit  them  for  the  duties  of  citizenship, — duties 
that  are  more  and  more  being  thrown  upon  men  in  early 
life.  No  agency  can  better  lend  a  helping  hand  than  the 
educational  department  of  the  Associations. 

Some  Associations  are  participating  in  the. University 
Extension  scheme  with  good  results. 

6. — Interest  will  suiier  if  too  much  be  attempted  at  once. 
Two  or  three  classes  well  attended  are  better  than  a  dozen 
indifferently  supported.  Some  branches  of  study  may  be 
changed  in  successive  j^ears,  if  greater  variety  is  needed. 
If  the  classes  are  arranged  and  announced  early  in  the 
season,  many  new  members  may  be  brought  into  the  Asso- 
ciation. An  approved  plan  is  to  have  two  terms,  separated 
by  a  Christmas  vacation.  Admission  to  all  the  classes  is 
usually  a  membership  privilege,  but  where  the  membership 
fee  is  low,  or  a  certain  class  involves  unusual  expense,  a 
special  fee  is  sometimes  charged.  Some  Associations  re- 
quire an  entrance  fee  of  one  or  two  dollars,  with  the  un- 


292  'fHE   EDUCATIONAL  DKPARTMEXT.      Chap.  24,  C,  ?. 

derstaiidingthat,  if  the  pupils'  iitteiulance  readies  eighty 
per  cent.,  it  will  be  returned.  This  plan  is  said  to  greatly 
stimulate  regular  attendance. 

7. — Frequency  of  classes. —  In  many  Associations  each 
class  meets  once  a  week,  but  in  such  cases  the  progress  of 
the  students  is  slow.  If  possible,  two  evenings  a  week 
might  better  be  given  to  each  stud}^  It  may  be  doubted 
whether,  with  the  variety  of  engagements  offered  by  the 
^Association,  it  is  desirable  to  devote  more  time  than  this 
to  a  class.  A  young  man  that  is  busy  during  the  day 
will  make  the  best  j^rogress  by  pursuing  one  or  two 
branches  several  evenings  each  week,  and  if  earnest  for 
mental  improvement  can  easil}^  sacrifice  for  the  time  being 
much  in  the  line  of  society  and  amusement.  When  the 
students  in  any  branch  are  numerous,  they  may  be  graded 
into  different  sections. 

8. — Instructors^  etc. — Competent  instructors  will  some- 
times volunteer  their  services,  but  must  usually  be  paid. 
It  is  desirable  that  they  be  not  only  Christian  men,  but  in 
hearty  sympathy  and  co-operation  with  the  spiritual  work. 
Suitable  rooms  are  needed,  provided  with  desks  or  tables, 
blackboards,  and  other  requisites.  A  case  of  reference 
text-books  will  be  helpful.  There  should  be  a  regular 
order  of  exercises  in  the  classes,  an  attendance  roll,  and 
orderly  behavior.  Examinations  are  sometimes  held  and 
certificates  of  ^proficiency  given  to  successful  candidates. 
In  a  few  Associations  interest  is  stimulated  by  prizes, 
offered  perhaps  by  persons  specially  interested  in  this  de- 
j^artment.  A  social  reception  is  sometimes  given  to  the 
classes. 

9. — Interest  the  students. — Judicious  effort  should  be 
made  to  introduce  the  members  of  the  classes  into  the  other 
branches  of  the  work  and  attach  them  permanently  to  the 
Association.  In  this  work  the  evening  reception  commit- 
tee has  a  definite  place.  A  committee  may  also  be  formed 
among  the  active  members  who  attend  the  classes.  The 
natural  and  unobtrusive  contact  and  quiet   personal  inilu- 


Chap.  24,  D,  1.    the  educatiokal  department.  293 

ence    of   consecrated  workers   will    oring   about  the  best 
results. 

10. — International  pamphlet  No.  61,  "  How  can  our  As- 
sociations better  adapt  themselves  to  the  needs  of  young 
men  of  all  classes?"  by  C.  H.  Dodge,  contains  many  use- 
ful suggestions  regarding  educational  work.  (See  ap- 
pendix, samples  Nos.  38  and  39,  for  educational  class  rules 
and  record). 


SECTION  D. 

LITERARY    SOCIETIES. 

1. —  Usefulness. — According  to  the  reports  for  1890,  lit- 
erary societies  for  young  men  were  connected  with  133 
Associations,  and  for  boys  with  29.  These  societies  consist 
of  from  six  to  perhaps  fifty  members  each,  organized  under 
various  forms  for  engaging  in  such  exercises  as  debates, 
recitations,  essays,  and  criticism.  Although  educational 
in  character  this  work  is  quite  distinct  from  the  evening 
class,  and  of  wider  scope  than  the  instruction  along  similar 
lines  usually  gained  in  the  common  school.  The  lyceum 
debate  has  peculiar  attractions  for  our  American  young 
men,  and  a  wise  policy  takes  advantage  of  tliis  fact,  not 
only  to  draw  in  and  influence  such  men,  but  to  bring  these 
exercises  under  that  healthful  control  and  supervision  so 
often  needed.  Such  societies  have  great  value,  for  in 
them  many  men  have  received  their  first  ambitious  im- 
pulses, and  practiced  those  arts  of  the  speaker  and  parlia- 
mentarian that  have  rendered  them  famous  in  after  life. 
Nothing  quickens  the  mind  into  greater  activity  than  a 
vigorously  contested  question  in  debate.  Through  such 
exercises  a  young  man  also  acquires  self-possession,  and 
learns  how  to  express  clearly  what  he  knows.  Many 
Christian  men  who  are  now  silent  in  meetings  for  prayer  and 
conference,  through  timidity,  might  with  a  lyceum  train 


^94  I'hp:  educational  department.    Chap.  24,  D,  2. 

ing  liave  becoiue  valued  workers.  The  capacity  for  impart- 
ing knowledge  and  enforcing  truth  is  among  the  grandest 
powers  God  has  given  man,  and  yet  none  is  more  often 
neglected.  Es})ecially  is  this  apt  to  be  the  case  with 
young  men  in  business  life. 

2. —  Organization. — Such  a  society  cannot  be  success- 
fully organized  Avithout  a  nucleus  of  thoroughly  interested 
3'oung  men.  The  work  should  be  supervised  by  the  de- 
partment committee,  and  all  rules  governing  the  organiza- 
tion should  be  approved  by  the  board  of  directors.  (See 
Cha]?.  6,  B.)  Membership  is,  of  course,  confined  to  mem- 
bers of  the  Association.  An  executive  committee,  com- 
posed usually  of  the  officers,  together  with  the  general 
secretary,  or  one  or  more  other  representatives  of  the 
board,  should  approve  all  questions  for  debate  or  topics: 
for  essays,  and  everything  of  doubtful  character  or  liable 
to  engender  bitter  feelings  should  be  discarded. 

3. — Methods. — A  suitable  room  will  be  needed,  and  all 
proceedings  should  be  conducted  under  strict  rules  of  order. 
The  nearer  all  transactions  approximate  to  those  of  real  life 
the  more  helpful  w^ill  be  the  experieiice  gained.  Some- 
times the  exercises  may  take  the  form  of  a  legislative  bod}^, 
a  court  of  justice,  a  political  or  business  convention  ;  any 
of  which,  if  properl}^  carried  out,  will  be  full  of  practical 
benefit  to  the  participants.  Not  least  among  the  results  of 
this  work  will  be  the  stimulus  to  reading  and  research  nec- 
essarily created,  adding  many  patrons  to  the  Association 
librar3\  The  librarian  should  keep  himself  informed  of 
the  topics,  and  post  on  his  bulletin  board  lists  of  books  and 
articles  in  periodicals  relating  to  them. 

The  same  efforts  that  are  employed  elsewhere  should  be 
made  to  interest  the  associate  members  v/ho  are  indentified 
with  the  literary  society  in  the  religious  work. 


Chap.  24,  E,  3.      THE  EDUCATIO^TAL  DEPARTMENT.  095 

SECTION  E. 

LECTURES    AND    TALKS. 

1. — Dangers  in  ijaid  courses. — Thei'c  are  two  classes  of 
lecture  courses,  the  paid  or  "star  '•  and  the  "  home  "  course. 
To  conduct  the  first,  which  is  usually  done  with  an  eye  to 
financial  profit,  tact,  experience  and  a  great  amount  of  hard 
work  are  necessary  ;  and,  although  a  few  Associations  suc- 
ceed, in  most  cases  the  results  are  not  satisfactory.  There 
is  also  great  danger  that  in  trying  to  secure  attractions  the 
moral  tone  be  lowered,  or  perhaps  almost  ignored.  Helpful- 
ness to  young  men,  not  mere  financial  gain,  should  be  the 
primary  object  in  all  such  effort.  In  arranging  for  such  a 
course  of  lectures  the  only  safe  plan  is  to  secure  advance 
subscriptions  for  tickets  sufficient  to  guarantee  the  expense. 
Preparations,  which  must  be  in  the  hands  of  an  energetic 
committee,  should  begin  early  ;  and  the  refusal  of  the  de- 
sired talent  be  obtained,  usually  from  a  responsible  bureau, 
till  a  canvass  can  be  made.  Sometimes  several  Associations, 
conveniently  located  on  lines  of  travel,  can  arrange  for 
consecutive  nights  at  a  reduced  rate.  Where  the  Associa- 
tion has  a  hall  large  enough  for  this  class  of  entertainments, 
the  financial  phase  is  much  simplified.  Such  a  course  is  a 
material  addition  to  the  value  of  membership. 

2. — Home  Talent. — The  second  class  of  lectures  is  given 
either  by  resident  gentlemen  or  those  of  neighboring  com- 
munities, whose  services  may  be  had  free  or  at  a  nominal 
cost.  Such  talent  will  often  compare  favorably  with  that 
of  the  bureaus.  A  small  admission  fee  for  non-members 
will  generally  meet  the  expense  of  this  course. 

3. — Practical  Tails. — The  "  practical  talk  "  is  somewhat 
in  line  Avith  the  last,  but  on  a  smaller  scale  and  more  in- 
formal, usually  for  young  men  only,  and  frequently  held 
in  the  Association  parlor.  It  is  an  unfortunjite  community 
that  does  not  contain  many  persons  capable  of  telling  the 
average  young  man  much  that  will  both  interest  him  and 


296  THE  KDUCATlONAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  24,  E,  3. 

be  of  practical  value  in  liis  dail}^  life.  If  a  taste  for  such 
subjects  is  lacking,  earnest  and  persistent  effort  may  well 
be  made  by  the  Association  to  create  and  foster  it.  Suit- 
able subjects  abound  in  the  lines  of  business,  health,  ethics, 
politics,  history,  travel  or  science. 

The  following  suggestive  list  of  topics  is  selected  from 
lists  given  in  "  The  Watchman,"  1884,  page  259,  and  in  the 
"  Young  Men's  Era,"  1891,  page  635.  Some  of  them  would 
also  be  useful  as  the  subjects  of  essays  in  the  literary  society. 

On  reading  in  the  line  of  one's  business. 

On  reading  merel}^  with  a  view  of  amusement. 

How  to  read  a  newspaper. 

Hints  about  commercial  correspondence. 

How  to  attain  business  and  professional  success. 

How  to  save  money  and  how  to  do  good  with  it. 

The  development  of  true  manliness  of  character. 

Sjnnmetrical  self-culture. 

The  cultivation  of  studious  liabits. 

On  the  fear  of  appearing  singular. 

On  forming  a  taste  for  simple  pleasures. 

Perseverance. 

The  house  we  live  in. 

Stimulants  and  narcotics. 

Revelations  of  the  microscope. 

A  few  modern  applications  of  electricity. 

How  to  study  astronomy  with  an  opera  glass. 

How  to  make  a  photograph. 

The  progress  of  natural  science  during  the  present  century. 

Decisive  events  in  colonial  history. 

Decisive  events  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Decisive  events  in  the  formation  of  the  Constitution. 

Decisive  events  in  the  Civil  War. 

The  choice  of  intimate  friends. 

What  society,  in  its  good  sense,  expects  from  young  men. 

Speculation,  is  it  desirable  ? 

The  old  New  England  home  (for  Thanksgiving). 

The  privileges  and  duties  of  citizenship. 


CHAPTER  25. 

THE  FHYmCAL  DEPARTMJENT.'' 


SECTION  A. 

THE    AIM    OF    THE    DEPARTMENT. 

1. — The  object  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion being  to  save  and  build  up  young  men,  the  object  of 
its  physical  department  is  to  save  young  men  physically 
with  reference  to  their  salvation  and  building  up  as  a  whole. 
Great  emphasis  belongs  to  the  last  clause — the  relation  of 
the  physical  department  to  the  others,  and  what  is  said 
about  it  applies  equally  to  ever}'-  department.  Each  must 
work  in  sympathy  with  the  others,  for  the  same  end,  and 
by  the  same  methods. 

2. — The  general  aim  of  this  department  may  be  con- 
sidered under  three  sub-heads:  Physical  healthy  physical 
education,  ^jhysical  recreation.  The  word  physical  is  in 
each  of  these,  but  physical  health  has  to  do  with  intellec- 
tual and  spiritual  health;  physical  education  is  vitally  con- 
nected with  mental  education,  some  indeed  believing  the 
latter  to  be  largely  an  outgrowth  of  the  training  of  the 
physical  senses;  and  phj^sical  recreation  is  intimately  allied 
to  mental  recreation. 

3. — Physical  health. — a.  Under  this  head  are  included 
hygienic  and  medical  or  curative  gymnastics.      That  gym- 

*  Tlie  subject  matter  of  this  chapter  was  prepared  by  Luther  Guhclr,  M.  D. 
As  this  department  is  comparatively  new  and  unfamiUar,  more  details  are  given 
than  ill  some  other  chapters,  but  intiny  technical  points  needed  by  those  im- 
mediately internsred  in  tlie  physical  work  are  omitted,  Some  further  considera- 
tions are  given  in  Int.  pphs.  Nos.  59.3  and  G14. 

This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  C2. 


298  THE  PHYSICAL   DfiPARTMEXT.      Chap.  25,  A,  3. 

nasties  are  useful  iu  curing  or  alleviating  many  diseases  is 
not  questioned  to-day  by  intelligent  persons. 

h.  Furtlier,  to  sa}^  tliat  hygienic  gymnastics  are  needed 
by  the  great  majority  of  civilized  mankind  for  the  preven- 
tion of  disease,  is  merely  re-stating  the  general  principle 
that  each  part  of  man  must  be  cultivated.  The  sedentary 
habits  of  large  classes  in  the  cities  render  systematic  exer- 
cise imperative,  while  many  men  engaged  in  manual  labor 
require,  almost  equally,  some  compensative  system  to  ex- 
ercise the  unused  muscles  and  bring  the  body  to  symmet- 
rical proportions.  Young  men  need  to  start  right  in  a 
system  of  body-building  that  shall  make  them  vigorous 
and  teach  them  how  to  keep  so.  To  these  benefits  derived 
from  regular  exercise  may  be  added  its  preventive  or  coun- 
teractive effects  and  tendencies.  It  often  takes  the  place 
of  questionable  amusements,  or  leads  directly  to  habits  of 
temperance  and  personal  purity. 

c.  The  objection  is  frequently  made  that  our  ancestors 
did  not  need  and  did  not  take  this  artificial  exercise  which 
is  said  to  be  so  necessary  to-day.  There  are  four  answers 
to  this  objection: 

(1)  The  immediate  ancestors  of  our  parents  lived  and 
worked  mostly  out  of  doors,  and  thus  their  children,  our 
parents,  had  a  large  account  in  the  bank  of  health.  But 
our  parents,  many  of  them,  lived  in  the  city;  so  we  are 
city  born  and  bred,  without  that  natural  education  of  the 
physique  that  our  parents  received  as  country  children 
almost  without  their  being  aware  of  it;  thus  we  need  to 
supply  artificially,  as  far  as  possible,  that  which  our  an- 
cestors possessed  naturally. 

(2)  Our  fathers  habitually  overworked,  and,  while 
they  may  not  have  broken  down,  they  were  unable  to 
endow  us  with  their  own  sturdy  constitutions.  So  the 
children  suffer  for  the  overwork  of  the  parents.  "  The 
fathers  have  eaten  sour  grapes,  and  the  children's  teeth  are 
set  on  edge."  In  support  of  this  might  be  mentioned  the 
decadence   of   many   of   our  best  and   strongest   families. 


Chap.  25,  A,  3.    the  physical  department.  299 

whore  the  vigor  has  given  out,  the  fathers  and  mothers 
having  used  up  what  belonged  to  the  children. 

(3)  Far  more  is  demanded  of  this  generation  than  of 
former  ones.  We  live  in  the  age  of  the  locomotive  and 
the  telephone.  Our  lives  are  more  intense.  We  do  less 
physical  and  more  mental  work.  We  worry  as  no  genera- 
tion ever  did,  and  so  our  physiques  must  be  improved  to 
meet  the  demand,  or  we  shall  become  a  nation  of  physical 
bankrupts.  Modern  life  demands  a  better  body,  not  neces- 
sarily bigger  and  stronger  muscularly,  but  more  wiry, 
more  enduring. 

(4)  With  the  great  strides  that  sanitary,  medical,  and 
surgical  science  have  taken,  children  are  brought  up  who 
would  formerly  have  died  at  birth  or  soon  after,  and  the 
lives  of  invalids  are  prolonged;  and  the  children  of  these 
two  classes  are  often  of  an  inferior  grade  physically. 

d.  To  what  extent  should  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  attempt  medical  or  curative  gymnastics  ? 
When  men  troubled  with  diseases  that  can  be  affected  by 
exercise  present  themselves  for  examination,  the  physical 
director  should  be  able  to  suggest  to  them  such  methods 
of  living  and  exercise  as  would  best  remove  their  difficul- 
ties, but  always  with  the  advice  of  a  physician,  if  he  is  not 
one  himself.  It  is  unwise  for  a  physical  director  to  under- 
take definite  work  in  the  line  of  medical  gymnastics  with- 
out having  a  legal  right  to  practice  medicine,  for  if  the 
treatment  should  prove  unsuccessful,  he  would  not  only  be 
in  an  extremely  embarrassing  position,  but  would  be  liable 
before  the  law.  Since  medical  gymnastics  are  primarilj^  and 
essentially  a  specialty  in  medicine,  they  should  be  con- 
ducted for  the  cure  of  disease  only  by  regularly  qualified 
medical  practitioners. 

e.  Exercises  for  the  prevention  of  disease,  however, 
belong  pre-eminently  to  us,  as  well  as  those  which  promote 
health  and  keep  the  body  in  such  condition  that  the  man 
can  do  the  best  work  for  the  longest  period  of  time.  This 
subject  is  considered  in  section  C,  3,  6. 


300  'A'HK   PHl'iSICAL   DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  A,  4. 

4. — Physical  education. — a.  The  following  is  a  good 
definition  of  physical  education:  "To  draw  out  or  train 
the  physical  powers,  to  prepare  and  fit  the  bod^^  for  any 
calling  or  business,  or  for  activity  and  usefulness  in  life." 
This  is  adapted  from  Webster's  definition  of  education, 
substituting  the  word  phj^sical  for  intellectual.  Thus  we 
see  that  all  the  training  of  the  physique  that  is  necessary 
in  the  trades  comes  under  the  head  of  physical  education; 
as  well  as  all  the  simply  mechanical  part  of  piano  playing, 
that  secures  control  of  the  finsfers  and  makes  the  hand 
supple;  all  of  vocal  training  that  consists  in  controlling 
the  muscles  of  the  throat,  abdomen,  and  diaphragm;  all  of 
Vv'riting,  engraving,  etching,  and  drawing  that  involves  ac- 
curate co-ordination  of  the  muscles;  all  training  of  the 
quick  eye,  and  the  steady  hand.  As  soon  as  the  brain  has 
an  idea  of  what  ought  to  be  done,  the  body  should  be  able 
to  do  it.  The  aim  of  physical  education  is  to  fit  the  body 
to  obey  the  dictates  of  the  mind  readily,  accurately,  and 
thoroughl}^  At  the  same  time  the  mind  receives  a  train- 
ing that  enables  it  to  act  with  more  efficiency  and  alert- 
ness. 

h.  The  qualities  that  physical  education  seeks  to  culti- 
vate may  be  stated  as  follows.  While  some  of  them  relate 
v/holl}^  to  the  body,  others  are  largely  mental.  As  dis- 
coveries and  advances  are  constantly  made  in  this  compar- 
atively recent  field  of  inquiry,  this  classification  is  not  pre- 
sented as  final,  nor  can  hard  and  fast  lines  be  drawn 
between  these  divisions. 

(1)  Symmetry, — harmonious  or  all-round  development 
of  the  body. 

(2)  Muscular  strength, — including  the  strength  of  the 
arms,  legs,  and  body,  also  of  the  heart  and  respiratory 
muscles. 

(3)  Endurance, — also  a  matter  of  the  heart,  lungs,  and 
nervous  sj^stem,  as  well  as  of  the  extrinsic  muscles. 

(4)  Agilit}", — quickness  of  action,  largely  an  affair  of 
the  central  nervous  system. 


Chap.  25,  A,  5.     the  PHYSICAL  department.  30X 

(5)  Grace, — fundamentally  a  question  of  economj^  of 
power.  Comparing  grace  and  symmetry,  the  first  is  beauty 
of  action  and  the  other  beauty  of  form. 

(6)  Muscular  control, — this  is  largely  nervous,  and 
results  from  that  training  by  which  the  mind  can  co-ordi- 
nate the  muscles  for  any  bodily  action,  no  matter  how  in- 
tricate, to  the  extent  of  muscular  strength. 

(7)  Physical  judgment, —  a  correlative  of  muscular 
control.  It  is  a  sort  of  psychic  trigonometry  by  which  the 
trained  mind  calculates  the  distance,  position,  and  motion 
of  objects, — something  by  which  it  weighs  and  balances. 
Through  the  delicately  combined  action  of  these  two 
faculties  one  learns  to  jump  a  ditch,  catch  a  ball,  and  ride 
a  bicj^cle  with  ease,  quickness,  and  accuracy,  and  often 
with  no  apparent  effort.  Physical  judgment  tells  a  man 
what  ought  to  be  done  and  muscular  control  enables  him 
to  do  it;  either  one  without  the  other  is  practically  worth- 
less. 

(8)  Physical  courage, — this  comes  naturally  from  the 
consciousness  of  ability  gained  tlirougli  experience.  Some- 
times a  constitutional  timidity  or  lack  of  what  may  be 
called  physical  faith  has  to  be  overcome.  A  presump- 
tuous daring  is  not  true  courage,  being  born  either  of 
io^norance  of  real  dano^er  or  of  reckless  indifference. 

(9)  Self  possession, — control  of  the  mind  over  the 
entire  man,  enabling  him  to  act  naturally  in  times  of 
danorer  and  excitement. 

o 

(10)  Expression, — this  has  to  do  with  gesture,  elocu- 
tion, etc.,  the  aim  being  primarily  to  enable  the  body  to 
express  thought  in  the  most  intelligible  way.  The  Del- 
sarte  system  is  perhaps  the  best  example. 

5. — Physical  recreation. — This  is  for  many  men  the 
most  important  of  the  three  divisions.  When  they  come 
to  the  gymnasium  their  primary  need  is  recreation.  They 
are  exhausted  mentally.  Perhaps  they  are  tired  physically. 
They  need  to  be  stirred  up,  made  to  laugh  and  to  throw 
off  their  business.     For  such   cases   educative  gymnastics 


302  THE   PHYSICAL   DEPARTMENT.       Chap.  25,  B,  1. 

would  be  worse  than  useless  and  medical  gymnastics 
thrown  away.  The  gymnastic  games  are  adapted  to  them 
and  can  be  used  to  great  advantage.  A  little  recreative 
gymnastics  at  the  end  of  class  work  will  often  add  zest  to 
what  Av^ould  otherwise  seem  trying. 


SECTION  B. 

UNDPZR  WHAT  CONDITIONS    SHOULD    A    YOUNG  MEn's   CHRIS- 
TIAN ASSOCIATION  START  A  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT  ? 

Three  conditions  may  be  mentioned:  A  demand  for 
such  work,  a  man  to  give  it  intelligent  supervision,  and  a 
suitable  i>lace. 

1. — There  is  generally  a  demand,  but  if  not,  it  can  be 
created  by  two  or  three  lectures  by  men  from  outside  the 
city,  Mdio  are  prominently  connected  with  athletics.  Lec- 
tures illustrated  by  the  stereopticon  are  very  useful  in  this 
direction. 

2. — The  fundamental  factor  is  intelligent  supervision. 
Many  Associations  have  attempted  to  carry  on  a  plu'- 
sical  department  without  any  one  to  give  it  special  time 
and  attention.  This  has  almost  invariably  proved  a  failure, 
damaging  the  work  of  these  Associations.  The  members 
have  not  felt  under  the  restraint  that  is  necessary  for  suc- 
cess, nor  have  they  received  the  beneiits  that  ought  to 
have  accrued  from  it  but  sometimes  positive  injury. 

Where  it  is  not  possible  to  employ  a  physical  director, 
the  general  secretary  can  qualify  himself  to  do  this  work 
on  a  small  scale  at  the  Association  Training  Schools. 

Two  neighboring  Associations  ma}'  sometimes  unite  in 
securing  a  physical  director,  to  the  advantage  of  both. 

Attempts  have  sometimes  been  made  to  have  the  assist- 
ant secretary  conduct  the  physical  department.  This, 
however,  is  not   so  desirable  as  for  the  general  secretary 


Chap.  25,  B,  3.    the  physical  defartmext.  303 

himself  to  do  this,  an  assistant  relieving  him  in  the  general 
work  of  the  Association  in  order  that  he  may  have  the 
necessary  time.  Work  in  the  physical  department  affords 
the  secretary  an  opportunity  to  become  acquainted  with 
the  associate  members  that  is  never  afforded  him  elsewhere. 
It  involves  his  taking  that  exercise  which  is  necessary  for 
his  own  well  being,  but  which  otherwise  he  is  very  likely 
to  neglect.  It  also  shows  to  the  members  his  interest  in 
and  familiarity  with  physical  work,  thus  giving  him  a 
stronger  influence  with  many  of  them.  The  fundamental 
idea  of  the  Association,  that  it  is  not  a  one  man  affair, 
should  be  kept  in  mind  here,  for  in  conducting  the  phy- 
sical department  the  development  of  leaders  is  one  of  the 
most  important  items.  Where  the  general  secretary  is 
handling  the  gymnasium  he  ought  to  be  obliged,  after  a 
time,  to  lead  only  the  leaders'  class,  and  all  the  other 
classes  should  be  in  charge  of  the  men  he  has  trained;  just 
as  in  other  lines  most  of  the  work  is  not  done  by  himself, 
but  by  thosy  whom  he  has  developed. 

It  would  be  unwise  to  start  a  gymnasium  without  an 
earnest  Christian  man  to  manage  it,  for  a  mere  physical 
trainer  is  no  more  qualified  to  take  charge  of  a  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  g^^mnasium.  than  is  any  sharp 
business  man  qualified  to  become  a  general  secretary.  The 
building  up  of  the  body  is  only  a  part  of  the  development 
of  the  whole  man,  which  the  Association  seeks  to  accom- 
plish. When  the  general  secretary  cannot  undertake  this 
work,  sometimes  a  young  man  can  be  found  in  the  com- 
munity who  can  lead  some  classes  in  the  Association  gym- 
nasium, but  in  all  such  cases  earnest  Christian  character  is 
requisite. 

3.-^A  third  necessity  is  a  suitable  place.  This  need 
not  be  an  expensively  equipped  gymnasium  or  field, 
but  some  part  of  the  building  that  is  ligbt,  dry,  and 
clean,  set  aside  for  this  work;  or  some  small  outdoor  space, 
even  a  single  city  lot,  with  a  few  appliances  for  athletic 
sports. 


304  THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  C,  1. 

sp:ction  c. 

SCIENTIFIC    EQUIPMENT    AND    METHODS. 

1. — Physical  exammations. — The  best  practical  work  can 
be  done  only  upon  a  thoroughly  scientific  basis.  This  must 
be  laid  in  an  accurate  physical  examination  of  each  gymna- 
sium member;  a  careful  study  of  the  results  of  the  exam- 
ination; and  intelligent  advice  based  upon  it,  followed  by 
an  interested  oversight,  to  provide  for  the  carrying  out  of 
this  advice.  The  examination  should  be  made  compulsory 
upon  every  new  member  before  he  takes  any  exercise  in 
the  gymnasium.  This  can  be  accomplished  by  giving  him 
a  card  entitling  him  to  an  examination,  and  only  furnish- 
ing him  with  a  full  ticket  after  the  director  certifies 
that  the  examination  has  been  made.  It  is  desirable  that 
examinations  be  repeated  at  intervals  of  six  months  or  a 
year. 

a.  For  making  such  examinations,  and  for  other  per- 
sonal conferences,  the  physical  director  needs  a  private 
office.  This  must  be  well  lighted  and  thoroughl}'  warmed 
and  ventilated,  and  should  be  the  most  attractive  part  of 
the  physical  department  outfit.  It  may  well  be  orna- 
mented w4th  photographs  and  medals  bearing  upon  phy- 
sical excellence,  all  bringing  out  the  idea  of  the  all-round 
man  rather  than  that  of  excellence  in  special  events,  and 
thus  helping  to  keep  this  idea  before  the  members. 

b.  The  following  measuring  instruments  are  necessary: 
Platform  scales  graduated  to  pounds  and  tenths,  on  which 
all  Aveighing  is  done  by  slides  instead  of  movable  weights. 
Those  with  two  or  three  beams,  fastened  above  instead  of 
underneath  the  beam  support,  are  much  superior  to  the  old 
style. 

A  measuring  tape  divided  into  inches  and  tenths,  with  a 
six  ounce  spring  on  the  zero  end. 

A  height  measure  divided  into  inches  and  tenths,  not 
feet,  inches,  and   tenths.     It  is    important   that  all   these 


Chap.  25,  C,  2.    THE  physical  department.  305 

measurements  be  taken  in  inclies  and  tenths,  for  otherwise 
accurate  tabulation  is  impossible. 

Calipers,  both  straight-armed  and  curved. 

Grip  dynamometer. 

A  pair  of  wall  parallels  adjustable  in  height,  so  as  to 
allow  of  both  dipping  and  pulling  up. 

Wet  spirometer.  Dry  spirometers  are  unsatisfactory, 
because  ihej  are  liable  to  vary  from  day  to  day. 

The  last  named  is  the  least  essential,  and  may  be  omitted 
when  moderate  expense  is  a  leading  consideration. 

c.  The  most  valuable  part  of  the  examination  is  that 
which  entirely  escapes  the  tape  or  rod,  but  is  evident  to 
the  eye  of  the  physical  director.  And  here  he  has  an  un- 
usual opportunity  to  become  acquainted  with  men,  to  cor- 
rect evil  habits  of  life,  and  to  gain  an  influence  over  them 
that  he  can  use  for  their  welfare,  perhaps  for  years  to  come. 
It  is  a  fact  that  the  busiest  physical  directors  find  time  for 
the  most  numerous  and  thorough  examinations.  If  the 
work  is  not  done  in  such  a  way  as  to  inspire  confidence,  it 
is  well  nigh  useless. 

2. — Statistic  hlmiks. — The  International  Committee  has 
prepared  two  such  blanks.  One  is  brief,  for  general  use; 
and  the  other  is  quite  full,  containing  two  or  three  times  as 
many  items  in  examination  and  history,  for  use  where 
special  detail  is  demanded,  as  it  might  be  in  records  of 
fine  athletes  or  unusual  cases  of  any  kind.  The  large 
blank  contains  far  more  measurements  than  it  is  worth 
while  to  take  except  in  such  rare  cases.  Measurements 
of  the  bones  of  one  leg  are  ample,  unless  there  is  evi- 
dently some  unusual  conformation.  It  is  far  better  to 
use  the  small  blank  carefully,  than  to  use  the  large  one 
hastily  and  imperfectly.  These  blanks  are  based  on  the 
recommendations  of  the  American  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Physical  Education,  so  that  they  may 
be  in  accord  with  scientific  work  in  this  line  all  over  the 
country.  It  is  desirable  that  all  physicial  directors  take 
these  measurements,  and   take  them  uniformly,  in  accord 


306  THE   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  C,  3. 

with  the  directions  published  by  the  committee,*  for  only 
by  so  doing  will  they  be  able  to  utilize  the  valuable  system 
of  measurement  charts  now  being  prepared. 

3. — Prescription  of  exercise. — a.  Nothing  more  can  be 
done  in  a  brief  statement  like  the  present  than  to  lay  down 
a  few  general  principles.  During  the  examination  of  a 
new  member  his  object  in  coming  to  the  gymnasium  should 
be  ascertained.  As  far  as  is  consistent  with  the  funda- 
mental ideas  of  the  Association,  each  man  should  be  given 
that  which  he  desires;  but  he  should  also  have  impressed 
upon  him,  as  decidedly  as  seems  best  in  his  special  case,  the 
fundamental  idea  of  all-round  development,  not  merely  as 
applied  to  the  physical  department  but  to  the  development 
of  the  whole  man.  The  work  must  also  interest  him, 
otherwise  he  will  not  usually  do  it  long.  If  sufficiently 
skilled,  the  physical  director  can  usually  find  exercises 
that  will  meet  the  demands  of  the  individual  and  at 
the  same  time  interest  him.  It  is  a  fact  better  known  tlian 
understood  that  more  benefit,  both  mental  and  physical,  is 
derived  from  an  exercise  that  gives  pleasure,  than  from 
one  that  does  not. 

h.  There  is  a  principle  underlying  the  whole  of  organic 
life,  which  it  is  extremel}^  important  to  bear  in  mind  in 
the  prescription  of  exercise;  namely,  '•^Function  makes 
structured  This  means  that  the  structure  of  an  ororan  or 
organism  is  altered  by  doing  a  thing  repeatedly,  and  so 
becomes  adapted  to  the  work  and  enabled  to  do  it  better. 
For  example,  if  a  man  wants  a  symmetrical  body,  let  him 
do  exercises  that  demand  symmetry,  and  he  may  expect 
that  his  body  will  be  built  up  symmetrically. 

c.  The  j)hysical  director  should  also  observe  the  dis- 
tinction between  the  use  of  exercises  for  health,  education, 
or  recreation,  and  should  study  the  needs  of  each  member 
in  order  to  ascertain  what  exercises  are  best  for  him. 
There  is  no  general  prescription  adapted  to  all  cases,  in- 
cluding these  three  classes  of  exercises.  Few  men  need 
*See  "Manual  for  Physical  Measurements,'"  Int.  pph.  No.  23. 


Chap.  25,  C,  3.    the  PHTsiCAii  department.  307 

one  class  only,  and  one  great  art  in  prescription  is  to  choose 
exercises  that  combine  the  desired  aims.  This  is  a  divi- 
sion of  aims,  not  of  exercises.  The  same  exercise  may  be 
used  at  different  times,  or  by  different  people,  with  opposite 
effects;  as  in  medicine  the  same  drug  is  employed  in  differ- 
ent cases,  opium  being  a  heart  stimulant  as  well  as  a  nar- 
cotic. When  a  man  has  no  special  need,  but  only  seeks 
greater  vigor,  exercises  should  be  pi'escribed  that  call  into 
play  as  much  of  the  body  as  possible. 

d.  Curative  gymnastics  and  their  place  in  our  work 
ha,ve  already  been  discussed  in  section  A,  3.  For  the  cases 
that  come  within  the  province  of  the  physical  director  little 
more  can  be  done  than  to  follow  out  the  general  principle, 
"  Function  makes  structure,"  prescribing  exercises  that  de- 
mand the  qualit}^  desired;  for  example,  for  wry  neck  giving 
work  that  requires  a  straight  spine,  such  as  carrying 
v/eights  on  the  head;  for  incipient  spinal  curvature  swing- 
ing by  the  arms,  thus  pulling  the  spine  straight;  for  un- 
even shoulders,  caused  by  poor  muscular  development  of 
one  side,  giving  work  that  demands  strength  on  that  side 
principally;  for  weak  heart  and  lungs  slow  running,  that 
demands  good  development  of  these  organs;  in  all  cases 
beginning  gradually  and  working  up  to  the  result  desired. 
Exercises  may  be  prescribed  for  such  minor  difficulties, 
but  where  any  grave  trouble  is  suspected  the  physical 
director  should  work  only  under  the  advice  of  a  competent 
physician,  unless  he  himself  is  one.  The  relations  between 
diseases  are  such  that  it  is  impossible  for  one  who  merely 
knows  the  diseases  that  can  be  effected  b}^  gymnastic  treat- 
ment to  determine  that  the  disease  which  he  sees  is  not  a 
symptom  of  some  other  one  which  he  does  not  see  and 
which  is  not  susceptible  to  gymnastic  treatment. 

e.  Preventive  gymnastics  belong  to  the  Associations. 
What  is  health?  Perfect  co-operation  of  all  the  parts. 
The  most  important  of  these  are  the  heart,  lungs,  and 
abdominal  organs.  The  nervous  system  is  considered  to 
be  in  good  order  if  the  vital  organs  show  no  indication  to 


308  THF,   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  C,  3. 

the  contrary.  If  then  a  man's  abdominal  organs  work  so 
well  that  a  })lentiful  supply  of  blood  is  maintained,  and 
the  lungs  work  so  thoroughly  that  the  blood  is  kept  free 
from  carbonic  acid  gas  and  supplied  with  the  necessary 
oxygen,  and  if  the  heart  is  regular  and  vigorous,  the  most 
fundamental  requisites  for  health  have  been  fulfilled,  and 
a  basis  laid  for  the  best  work  both  physical  and  mental. 

Preventive  exercises  must  fulfill  the  following  condi- 
tions: (1)  they  must  stimulate  and  allow  vigorous  breath- 
ing, (2)  must  exercise  the  heart  regula-rl}^,  (3)  must  agitate 
the  abdominal  organs,  (4)  must  induce  perspiration.  The 
value  of  a  health  exercise  may  be  judged  by  the  following 
tests:  (1)  it  should  induce  a  tired  but  not  exhausted  feel- 
ing, (2)  should  induce  sleep  at  night,  not  wakefulness,  (3) 
should  gradually  increase  the  appetite,  (4)  should  not  occa- 
sion nervous  trembling  of  the  hands,  (5)  should  not  make 
the  muscles  sore  for  any  length  of  time.  Chest  weights, 
in  their  sj^ecial  and  peculiar  uses,  scarcely  have  tlie  health 
producing  value  commonly  attributed  to  them.  Most 
movements  connected  Avith  them  that  fulfill  the  conditions 
just  given  can  be  as  well  or  better  done  otherwise.  These 
machines  are  chiefly  valuable  for  the  development  of  certain 
muscles,  a  matter  which  has  little  relation  to  health,  and  it 
is  doubtful  whether  as  man}^  of  them  are  required  in  our 
gymnasiums  as  are  often  placed  there. 

Oxygen  is  absorbed  througli  the  lungs  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent,  depending  rather  upon  the  demand  of  the  sys- 
tem than  upon  the  amount  of  air  they  are  capable  of  con- 
taining; so  if  one  wants  to  make  the  lungs  absorb  a  great 
deal  of  ox^^gen  he  must  do  those  exercises  which  demand  a 
large  expenditure  of  energy  in  a  short  time.  Putting 
ox^rgen  into  the  lungs  when  they  already  have  all  they  can 
use  is  like  leading  a  horse  to  water  when  he  is  not  thirsty. 
To  increase  the  amount  of  oxygen  in  the  blood  work  should 
be  done  which  causes  a  demand  for  more  oxygen,  and  there- 
fore deeper  breathing,  rather  than  deep  breathing  exercises 
when  there  is  no  particular  demand  for  oxygen.     But  deep 


Chap.  25,  C,  3.    tHe  physical  department.  309 

breathing  is  useful  just  before  and  after  vigorous  work. 
In  the  first  case  it  fills  the  lungs  v/ith  fresh  air  to  meet  the 
great  demand  just  coming.  In  the  second  case  it  removes 
rapidly  from  the  lungs  the  impure  gases  discharged  into 
them  in  unusual  amounts.  Voluntarj^  deep  breathing 
strengthens  the  muscles  of  respiration  and  thus  enlarges 
the  chest,  but  does  not  necessarily  increase  the  amount  of 
oxygen  in  the  blood. 

If  a  man  desires  a  stronger  heart,  let  him  run,  slowly  at 
first  and  a  little  at  a  time,  because  this  work  demands  a 
strong  heart.  For  people  of  sedentary  habits  movements 
of  the  trunk,  particularly^  of  the  hips,  are  helpful  in  remedj^- 
ing  the  evil  results  of  such  habits.  During  such  active 
movements  of  the  trunk  as  bending  and  twisting,  or  such 
jolting  exercises  as  horseback  riding,  the  organs  contained 
in  the  abdominal  cavity  are  alternately  compressed  and 
relaxed,  and  the  circulation  of  the  blood  through  them  is 
greatly  accelerated.  The  peristaltic  movement  of  the  in- 
testine is  also  greatly  accelerated.  Thus  the  nutritive 
changes  in  these  organs  are  made  more  rapid  than  usual. 

/.  Educative  gymnastics  have  been  described  and 
their  aim  analj^zed  in  section  A,  4.  A  man  who  does  not 
feel  the  need  of  gymnastic  work  solely  for  health  may  be 
interested  and  held  by  the  prescription  of  educative  work, 
especially  such  as  Avill  develop  the  qualities  needed  in  his 
business  or  profession.  When  his  daily  Avork  requires  any 
special  physical  excellence,  exercise  may  be  given  profit- 
ably that  shall  train  him  for  it,  although  great  care  must 
be  taken  not  to  overtax  him  in  this  one  direction.  Educa- 
tive gymnastics  are  also  specially  valuable  for  weak-minded 
children,  awkward  men,  etc. 

In  all  this  work  a  progressive  method  should  be  followed, 
and  more  difficult  work  given  step  by  step. 

g.  Recreative  gymnastics  and  educative  work  are  rad- 
ically different,  but  the  former  may  be  combined  with 
body-building  exercises  in  games,  notably  in  basket-ball 
and  foot-ball,  if  proper  training  is  given  for  thenij  as  they 


310  THE   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.       Chap.  25,  C,  3. 

supply  many  condilioiis  of  body-building,  and  at  the  same 
time  place  the  mind  in  the  attitude  required  for  recreation. 
Lawn  tennis  is  not  as  perfect  a  combination,  as  it  involves 
too  much  strain  on  the  nervous  system  in  proportion  to  the 
muscular  exercise.  Throwing  tlie  light  hammer  is  ex- 
cellent. 

Men  engaged  in  intellectua-1  work  need  recreative  gym- 
nastics. They  should  avoid,  on  the  one  hand,  intricate 
games  or  other  exercises  that  require  much  thought,  and, 
on  the  other,  routine  work  that  permits  their  minds  to  re- 
vert to  their  accustomed  trains  of  thought.  Such  men  will 
usually  derive  more  advantage  from  exercises  for  the  whole 
body  than  from  those  which  are  merely  for  special  groups 
of  muscles,  even  though  these  be  carried  on  until  all  the 
groups  of  muscles  have  been  involved. 

h.  Athletic  sports  are  ordinarih'-  more  health-giving  than 
heavy  gymnastics,  for  they  call  into  plaj^  the  legs  and  trunk 
more  actively,  while  heavy  gymnastics  exercise  the  arms 
and  chest  chiefly.  Lack  of  space  forbids  enlarging  on  this 
subject.  Running  and  all  such  exercises  affect  the  health 
much  more  decidedly  than  do  ordinary  chest  weight  move- 
ments, in  which  the  body  is  held  stationary  while  the  work 
is  done  with  the  arms.  On  the  other  hand,  where  health 
is  not  primarily  sought,  but  muscular  growth,  those  exer- 
cises are  best  that  call  into  play  the  fewest  muscles  at  a 
time.  Gymnastics  usually  build  up  muscle  a  great  deal 
more  than  athletics,  and  for  this  reason  if  a  man  wishes  to 
develop  his  upper  arm  he  works  it  vigorously,  so  that  it 
may  receive  a  disproportionate  supply  of  blood,  and  at  the 
same  time  rests  all  his  other  muscles  as  much  as  possible. 

i.  Exercise  should  be  frequent  and  regular.  Some- 
thing can  be  accomplished  in  an  hour  twice  a  week,  and 
perhaps  the  best  results  in  two  hours  a  daj-,  not,  however, 
all  at  one  time  nor  devoted  to  a  single  class  of  exercises. 

j.  A  bath  should  be  prescribed  at  the  close  of  every 
day's  exercise,  to  be  taken  before  the  body  has  had  time  to 
cool  off,  but  not  when  the  heart  is  beating  very  rapidly 


Chap.  25,  D,  1.    the  physical  department^  311 

nor  when  the  individual  is  seriously  out  of  breath.  The 
bath  should  be  of  only  a  few  seconds'  duration,  and  should 
be  followed  by  a  vigorous  rub.  It  is  a  safe  rule  that  the 
beneficial  degree  of  cold  is  that  after  which  the  individual 
has  the  most  perfect  reaction  or  glow.  Cold  baths  are 
hurtful  if  followed  by  chilliness.  Shower  baths  are  more 
used  than  any  others,  as  ihey  are  the  best  form  of  brief 
bath  after  exercise. 


SECTION  D. 

PRACTICAL    EQUIPMENT    AND    METHODS. 

1. — Location  and  arrangement  of  the  gymnasium. — a. 
A  separate  wing  occupied  solely  by  the  physical  depart- 
ment is  by  far  the  most  desirable  plan.  The  lower  story 
may  contain  the  bath  and  dressing  rooms,  bowling  alle3^s, 
and  workshop.  The  gymnasium  will  be  immediately  above 
these  rooms.  It  may  well  be  forty  by  sixty  feet  in  size, 
although  good  work  can  be  done  in  a  smaller  room.  A 
convenient  height  for  the  ceiling  is  twenty  feet.  This 
gives  all  the  room  needed  for  ventilation  and  light,  and 
for  the  swinging  apparatus.  If  the  ceiling  is  higher,  a 
framework  or  other  provision  must  be  made  from  which 
such  apparatus  may  be  hung. 

b.  There  should  be  some  systematic  artificial  ventila- 
tion, as  otherwise  it  is  hardly  possible  to  keep  the  air  pure 
when  large  classes  are  on  the  floor.  Great  care  should  be 
taken,  however,  that  the  system  adopted  does  not  produce 
drafts.  The  importance  of  ventilation  becomes  more  ap- 
parent when  the  fact  is  borne  in  mind  that  during  vigor- 
ous exercise  a  man  often  throws  off  six  times  as  much 
carbon  dioxide  and  uses  up  six  times  as  much  oxygen  as 
when  he  is  sitting  still,  so  that  ventilation  enough  for  six 
men  at  rest  will  be  just  enough  for  one  man  who  is  exer- 
cising vigorously. 


312  THE   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  D,  1 

c.  Tliere  should  be  a  running  track  at  least  nine  feet 
above  the  floor  (ten  would  be  better),  with  semi-circular 
ends,  for  at  every  abrupt  corner  the  speed  practicable  else- 
where must  be  lessened.  It  may  be  suspended  from  above 
or  supported  by  buttresses.  The  latter  plan  should  always 
be  adopted  when  there  are  rooms  over  it,  in  order  to  avoid 
a  disagreeable  jar.  The  running  track  should  be  from  four 
to  six  feet  wide  and  sloped  to  correspond  with  the  changes 
of  direction,  a  very  sharp  turn  needing  a  steep  slope,  but 
rarely  more  than  one  foot  in  four.  An  excellent  track  is 
made  by  laying  boiler  felting  an  inch  or  two  in  thickness, 
covering  it  with  canvas,  and  then  applying  two  or  three 
coats  of  good  paint.  This  is  patented  as  the  **  Roberts 
track."  The  "  concave  incline "  (patented)  is  also  very 
desirable. 

d.  For  ready  use  by  large  classes  the  entire  floor 
should  be  free  from  posts.  Experience  shows  this  to  be  a 
very  important  item. 

e.  Where  it  is  impossible  to  have  the  gymnasium  in  a 
separate  wing  of  the  building,  it  may  be  put  in  the  base- 
ment or  one  of  the  upper  stories.  Neither  of  these  places 
is  satisfactory.  In  the  basement  it  is  very  difticult  to 
make  the  gymnasium  thoroughly  lighted,  ventilated,  and 
dry,  which  are  three  essentials.  An  upstairs  gymnasium 
is  likel}^  to  disturb  the  whole  building  by  noise  and  vibra- 
tion, and,  if  the  building  is  not  very  strong,  to  do  serious 
damage.  Special  care  will  also  have  to  be  exercised  in  re- 
gard to  plumbing,  and  even  then  leaks  are  very  likely  to 
occur.  But  in  some  recent  buildings  these  difficulties  have 
been  overcome  quite  fully.  It  is  desirable  to  have  the 
dressing  rooms  and  baths  on  the  floor  below  an  upstairs 
gymnasium. 

/.  As  explained  in  Chapter  14,  C,  «  and  o,  the  gymna- 
sium should  be  approached  onl}^  through  the  reception 
room.  The  mistake  has  sometimes  been  made  in  the  past 
of  having  a  separate  entrance,  but  it  will  not  often  be  re- 
peated.    Discipline  and  safety  make  it  desirable  that  only 


Chap.  25,  D,  1.      THE  PHYSICAL   DEPARTMENT.  313 

members  be  admitted  to  the  floor  of  tlie  gymnasium,  so 
the  members'  door  needs  constant  supervision  by  the  secre- 
tary or  an  assistant.  Members  should  carry  their  tickets 
with  them,  and  sliow  them  when  asked  to  do  so. 

Whenever  possible  there  should  be  a  visitors'  gallery, 
with  a  separate  entrance  from  the  reception  room,  and  so 
arranged  that  no  one  can  pass  from  the  gallery  to  the 
gymnasium.  If  this  cannot  be  included  in  the  plan  of  the 
gymnasium,  a  particular  place  in  the  room  may  be  assigned 
to  visitors,  beyond  which  they  must  not  pass.  It  is  inex- 
pedient to  exclude  them  altogether,  as  many  recruits  come 
from  among  them.  But  they  should  not  be  admitted  with- 
out passes  from  the  office,  and  should  be  kept  under  con- 
stant supervision. 

Where  land  is  not  very  expensive,  an  athletic  field  next 
the  building  and  entered  through  the  reception  room  would 
derive  such  a  decided  advantage  from  its  close  connection 
with  the  general  work  of  the  Association  as  to  compensate 
for  a  much  smaller  area  than  might  be  secured  at  some 
distance.  The  use  of  the  dressing  and  bath  rooms  would 
be  another  advantage.  Many  men  would  use  such  a  field 
who  would  not  go  even  a  few  blocks  to  a  larger  one.  But 
if  it  cannot  be  secured,  the  next  best  plan  might  be  to 
spend  the  money  that  distant  grounds  would  cost  on  the 
improvement  of  the  gymnasium  and  baths,  and  to  run  in- 
door athletics  during  the  summer  months. 

g,  A  bowling  alley  is  a  valuable  adjunct.  It  should 
be  separated  from  all  other  rooms  as  much  as  possible,  to 
prevent  disturbance  from  noise.  Each  full  sized  alley  re- 
quires altogether  five  by  eighty  feet  of  floor  space,  the  bed 
of  the  alley  being  forty-two  inches  by  seventy  feet. 

h.  The  oftice  of  the  physical  director,  already  referred 
to  in  section  C,  1,  a,  should  command  a  view  of  the  gym- 
nasium and  of  the  rooms  connected  witli  it,  as  far  as  prac- 
ticable. 

i.  In  connection  with  every  gymnasium,  there  should 
be  a  small  workshop  provided  with  conveniences  for  sim- 


314  THE   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  1),  2. 

pie  carpentry,  sewing  of  mats,  splicing  of  ropes,  and 
similar  work.  Oftentimes  serious  inconvenience  can  be 
avoided  and  money  saved  by  such  appliances,  Avhicli  every 
physical  director  should  be  able  to  use  intelligently.  Con- 
stant testing  and  repairing  of  the  apparatus  are  necessaiy 
to  insure  safety. 

j,  A  room  wliere  members  of  the  Association  can  keep 
their  bicycles  has  been  found  useful  in  several  Associa- 
tions. It  is  most  convenient  when  it  opens  directly  from 
the  sidewalk. 

h.  Suggestions  regarding  separate  rooms  for  the  boys' 
physical  department  are  given  in  Chap.  28,  D,  6. 

I,  The  plans  for  the  gymnasium  and  all  the  rooms 
connected  with  it,  and  for  the  apparatus,  should  always  be 
submitted  to  some  expert  for  his  suggestions.  Hundreds 
of  dollars  can  often  be  saved  in  this  way,  and  greater  effi- 
ciency secured. 

2. — Bath  and  dressing  rooms. — a.  Only  second  in  im- 
portance to  the  gymnasium  itself  are  the  bath  and  dressing 
rooms.  These  should  be  so  connected  with  the  gymna- 
sium that  there  need  be  no  danger  of  taking  cold  in  pass- 
ing from  one  to  the  other.  It  is  desirable  that  the  lockers 
be  not  less  than  three  feet  high,  a  foot  and  a  half  wide, 
and  a  foot  deep.  The  larger  they  are,  however,  the  more 
convenient.  In  some  cases  a  few  lockers  are  placed  in 
rooms  about  six  feet  square,  thus  affording  more  privacy 
to  some  members,  at  a  higher  fee.  Lockers  may  be  ar- 
ranged in  tiers,  and  when  two  rows  face  each  other  they 
should  not  be  closer  together  than  five  feet.  Benches  or 
stools  between  the  lockers  are  useful.  If  there  are  more 
than  two  tiers  of  lockers,  there  should  be  an  ample  supply 
of  high  stools  or  step-ladders  for  reaching  the  upper  ones. 
But  it  is  far  more  convenient  to  have  onl}^  two  tiers  of 
lockers. 

h.  Special  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  ventilation 
of  the  dressing  rooms,  as  in  no  other  part  of  the  building 
is  there  so  much  foul  air  to  be  carried  awav.     The  lockers 


Chap.  25,  B,  2.      THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.  315 

should  be  constructed  so  tliat  a  draft  of  ah*  will  go  through 
them,  in  order  that  the  clothes  and  towels  may  be  dried. 
A  method  of  ventilation  suggested  by  George  W.  Ehler 
gives  promise  of  great  usefulness.  It  is  to  have  the  air 
drawn  out  of  the  room  through  the  lockers  by  means  of  a 
rotary  fan,  thus  obviating  the  difficulty  that  has  been  ex- 
perienced from  drafts  produced  by  such  fans.  Thus,  also, 
the  air  receiving  impurities  from  sweaty  clothing  is  drawn 
away  at  once,  instead  of  passing  into  the  room.  This  plan 
need  not  be  much  more  expensive  than  other  similar 
methods  of  ventilation,  if  it  is  a  part  of  the  original  ar- 
rangement of  the  dressing  room  and  lockers. 

c.  Combination  locks  have  met  with  great  favor  of 
late.  The  combination  should  be  changed  with  every 
change  of  occupant. 

d.  Shower  and  sponge  baths  are  the  most  desirable, 
for  several  physiological  reasons  that  cannot  be  given  here 
for  lack  of  space.  They  are  also  used  quickly,  each  per- 
son taking  only  a  short  time  in  bathing,  and  thus  the  same 
amount  of  space  is  more  economically  used  than  for  tub 
baths.  One  or  two  tub  baths  are  sufficient  for  most  gym- 
nasiums. The  pressure  in  the  hot  and  cold  water  pipes 
should  be  constant,  so  that  drawing  hot  water  in  one  bath 
v/ill  not  withhold  it  from  some  other,  and  surprise  the  oc- 
cupant with  a  dash  of  cold  water  while  he  is  using  warm. 
This  can  be  accomplished  only  by  the  use  of  independent 
pipes  to  each  bath,  or  of  large  pipes  (at  least  one  and  one 
quarter  inches  in  diameter)  and  powerful  heaters.  Spring 
faucets  save  water  in  the  shower  and  needle  baths.  Good 
portable  heaters,  furnishing  from  fifty  to  four  hundred 
gallons  per  hour,  are  now  sold  at  from  $15  to  ^50.  They 
can  be  run  at  small  expense.  Further  details  regarding 
these,  also  regarding  combination  locks,  may  be  obtained 
at  the  office  of  the  International  Committee. 

e.  Plunge  baths  are  expensive,  but  are  extremely  at- 
tractive and  useful.  Swimming  can  be  more  easily  taught 
in  such  a  place  than  anywhere  else.     Many  a  mother  would 


316  THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  D,  3. 

make  her  son  a  member  simply  that  he  might  acquire  this 
accomplishment.  The  water  should  be  changed  very  often, 
every  day  if  possible,  and  the  whole  bath  scrubbed  out 
frequently.  The  large  quantity  of  water  needed  is  some- 
times obtained  at  the  least  expense  from  artesian  wells.  A 
shower  bath  should  be  compulsory  before  using  the  plunge. 
To  aid  in  enforcing  this  rule,  the  plunge  baths  in  the  T>Siy- 
ton  and  Cleveland  buildings  can  only  be  entered  through 
a  gate  opening  inward  from  the  shower  bath  room,  and 
left  by  another  opening  outward  into  the  dressing  room, 

/*.  The  strictest  discipline  is  necessary  in  this  j^art  of 
the  building,  as  there  will  be  great  difficulty  in  restraining 
the  members  if  they  get  the  idea  that  it  is  the  proper  place 
for  throwing  water  or  wads  of  paper,  or  for  similar  amuse- 
ments. Recreative  gymnastics  are  useful,  but  not  in  con- 
nection with  the  bath  and  dressing  rooms.  Scrupulous 
cleanliness  is  nowhere  more  necessary  than  in  these  rooms. 
3. —  Outfit  of  the  gy7nnasium. — a.  AYherever  it  is  possi- 
ble the  gymnasium  should  have  a  complete  outfit,  as  young 
men  are  more  attracted  where  there  is  variety.  In  general 
the  argument  for  a  well  equipped  building  applies  to  a  well 
equipped  gymnasium.  It  would,  however,  be  as  absurd  to 
say  t*hat  because  a  gymnasium  was  not  perfectly  appointed 
therefore  no  physical  department  work  should  be  attempted, 
as  it  would  be  to  say  that  because  an  Association  building 
was  not  complete  therefore  no  Association  work  should  be 
attempted. 

h.  Every  v/ell  equipped  gymnasium  will  be  supplied 
with  wooden  dumb-bells,  iron  dumb-bells,  wands,  and  In- 
dian clubs;  a  push  ball;  a  bounding  punch-bag,  suspended 
from  a  wooden  diaphragm  adjustable  in  height;  traveling 
and  flying  rings;  a  spring-board;  a  German  horse;  a  buck; 
a  good  rowing  machine;  ladders ;  horizontal,  vaulting, 
breast,  and  parallel  bars,  the  latter  both  high  and  low; 
mattresses  to  go  underneath  and  beside  this  apparatus,  and 
long  mattresses  for  jumping;  and  a  supply  of  developing 
apparatus,  consisting  of  from  six  to  twelve  pieces  of  chest 


Chap.  25,  D,  4.    the  physical  department.  317 

weights  with  floor  attachments,  neck  machines,  high  pulley 
machines,  wrist  machine,  finger  machine,  and  quarter  cir- 
cles. 

c.  A  good  equipment  for  a  small  gymnasium  just 
starting  would  be  twenty  pairs  of  wooden  dumb-bells, 
tw^enty  wands,  a  push  ball,  a  bounding  punch-bag,  a  Ger- 
man horse,  a  rowing  machine,  a  pair  of  parallel  bars,  a 
vaulting  bar,  four  chest  weights,  and  necessary  mattresses, 

d.  The  apparatus  should  be  so  located  that  any  piece 
can  be  used  readily  b}^  a  division  of  a  class  without  con- 
flicting with  other  divisions.  It  is  also  desirable  that  the 
floor  may  be  readily  cleared,  so  as  to  afl^ord  room  for  the 
exercises  of  the  entire  class  with  Indian  clubs,  dumb-bells, 
and  w^ands,  in  marching  and  gymnastic  games. 

e.  In  selecting  apparatus  it  is  extremely  important  to 
purchase  the  best.  Such  apj)aratus  is  by  far  the  most 
economical  in  the  long  run,  as  well  as  tiie  most  attractive 
and  the  most  readily  operated. 

4. — Methods  of  gymnastic  work. — a.  Exercises  to  he 
practised  and  avoided.  —  What  gymnastics  should  be 
taught  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  ?  In 
general,  such  as  will  best  secure  the  objects  of  the  phj'sical 
department,  as  already  described.  Exercises  develop  the 
faculties  that  they  demand.  If  an  exercise  demands 
strength,  when  faithfully  carried  out  it  will  produce 
strength;  if  it  demands  skill,  it  will  produce  skill;  or  if  it 
demands  agility,  it  will  produce  agility.  The  instructor 
should  not  lay  undue  emphasis  upon  the  development  of 
any  one  faculty,  nor  allow  members  to  do  so  through  fond- 
ness for  certain  exercises.  It  is  very  undesirable,  for  in- 
stance, to  spend  a  large  amount  of  time  in  gymnastics  for 
the  attainment  of  skill,  to  the  exclusion  of  strength  or  en- 
durance. 

Exercises  should  not  be  practised  as  an  object  in  them- 
selves, and  care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  even  the  appear- 
ance of  so  doing.  This  will  totally  exclude  what  is 
ordinarily  called  "circus  work;"  that  is,  all  that  is  done 


318  THE   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  D,  4. 

with  the  spectator  primarily  in  mind.  It  will  not  exclude 
all  intricate  gymnastics,  because  these  are  valuable  in  the 
development  of  the  brain  centers  that  co-ordinate  various 
muscles.  Boxing,  wrestling,  and  similar  exercises,  al- 
though excellent  in  themselves,  are  now  seldom  allowed  on 
tlie  floor.  This  has  sometimes  been  done,  but  usually  to 
the  detriment  of  the  Association.  If  desired  by  ex- 
perienced members,  a  j^rivate  room  might  be  used  and  all 
spectators  excluded. 

Exercises  should  also  be  avoided  that  involve  real  dan- 
ger, although  this  does  not  mean  that  there  should  be  no 
progression,  for  after  a  man  has  worked  in  the  gymnasium 
for  two  or  three  years  he  can  do  things  without  danger  that 
it  would  have  been  extremely  hazardous  for  him  to  attempt 
during  his  first  week.  It  is  wise,  however,  to  use  some  exer- 
cises that  demand  courage,  a  clear  head,  and  quick  thought, 
for  tliese  exercises  alone  tend  to  produce  these  qualities. 
However,  great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  pass  the  bounds 
of  reason  in  this  line.  Other  things  being  equal,  exercises 
involving  the  possibility  of  serious  consequences  should  be 
avoided.  It  is  better  to  run  the  risk  of  several  minor  ac- 
cidents than  of  a  single  severe  one. 

The  helpful  influence  of  the  gymnasium  has  been  greatly 
broadened  by  tlie  introduction  of  many  exercises,  which, 
once  learned,  can  be  practiced  at  home,  and  also  be  taught 
to  members  of  the  family  who  cannot  visit  the  gymnasium. 
Such  home  work  should  be  stimulated  and  directed  by 
proper  advice.  Simple  apparatus  may  often  be  introduced 
at  liome,  to  the  benefit  of  the  entire  household. 

h.  Suggested  plan  of  organization. — As  in  the  other 
departments  of  Association  work,  the  best  work  in  the 
physical  department  can  only  be  accomplished  when  the 
physical  director  is  able  to  secure  the  active  co-operation 
of  members  of  the  gymnasium  classes  who  are  capable  and 
desirous  of  assisting  in  giving  instruction.  The  develop- 
ment of  such  men  is  one  of  his  most  difiicult  and,  at  the 
same  time,  one  of  his  most  important  duties. 


Chap.  25,  D,  4.      THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.  319 

There  should  be  a  "leaders'  class."  It  slioiild  raeet 
weekly,  and  cover  in  the  course  of  a  year,  both  in  theory 
and  practice,  what  will  qualify  its  members  for  the  leading 
of  divisions.  A  course  of  study  is  given  later.  This  class 
should  be  limited  in  number  (not  over  twelve,  six  or  eight 
more  desirable).  The  members  should  pledge  themselves 
to  do  the  work  of  the  class  for  the  year. 

In  the  leaders'  class  the  director  will  constantly  bring 
out  the  all-round  man  ideal,  and  it  will  soon  become  evi- 
dent to  every  member  of  the  class  that  he  needs  to  have 
that  ideal  realized  in  himself,  and  not  merely  to  be  a  good 
man  physically  and  mentally.  In  the  hope  that  this  may 
lead  to  the  conversion  of  valuable  men,  it  may  be  well  to 
admit  some  non-Christians  to  the  class. 

After  this  class  has  been  conducted  successfully  for  not 
less  than  a  year,  some  of  the  men  who  have  passed  an  ex- 
amination on  its  work  may  be  formed  into  an  advanced 
class,  called  tlie  "  instructors'  class."  Its  course  of  study 
is  given  later. 

The  "leaders'  corps"  may  be  appointed  by  the  board  of 
directors,  after  a  competitive  examination  and  upon  the 
recommendation  of  the  physical  director,  and  should  be 
recognized  as  a  definite  part  of  the  committee  organization 
of  the  Association.  In  order  to  maintain  a  Christian  in- 
fluence in  the  gymnasium,  only  Christian  men  should  be 
appointed  upon  the  corps.  It  is  advisable  to  have  this 
corps  distinguished  in  the  gymnasium  from  the  other  mem- 
bers— a  stripe  over  the  shoulder  or  across  the  breast  would 
suflice.  This  corps  should  assist  the  instructor  in  the 
management  of  classes,  in  leading  divisions,  and  in  explain- 
in  sc  to  new  members  special  prescriptions  of  exercise  and 
the  use  of  the  apparatus,  and  should  continually  be  on  the 
lookout  for  other  opportunities  for  work.  One  or  more 
members  of  the  corps  should  be  on  the  floor  during  the 
time  that  it  is  most  used,  each  man  having  definite  hours 
for  duty,  which  should  be  neither  so  frequent  nor  so  long 
as  to  be  burdensome. 


320  THK   PHYSICAL-  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  D,  4. 

After  a  man  lias  passed  through  tlie  leaders'  and  the 
instructors'  classes,  and  served  on  the  leaders'  corps,  he 
may  be  allowed  to  compete  for  the  position  of  **  honor- 
ary instructor."  The  examination  should  be  entirely  on 
theory,  the  work  done  on  the  leaders'  corps  taking  the 
place  of  the  practical  examination.  This  position  should 
be  regarded  as  one  of  tlie  highest  honor,  and  only  men 
who  are  well  qualified  physicall}^,  mentallj^,  and  spiri- 
tually should  hold  it.  The  board  should  appoint  to  it 
on  the  recommendation  of  the  physical  director  and  only  a 
few  at  a  time.  Such  appointment  by  the  board  gives  an 
additional  feeling  of  dignity  and  responsibility,  at  the  same 
time  that  it  helps  to  identify  the  physical  department  with 
the  other  work  of  the  Association. 

Each  honorary  instructor  should  have  full  charge  of  the 
gymnasium  during  a  few  regular  hours  each  week,  when 
the  physical  director  is  necessarily  absent. 

In  many  Associations  men  qualified  to  enter  a  leaders' 
class  could  not  be  found  at  once,  but  must  be  carefully 
trained  and  developed.  During  the  first  year  of  undertaking 
this  plan  have  onl}^  the  leaders'  class,  and  use  its  members 
as  leaders  of  divisions  when  desirable,  but  do  not  organize 
a  leaders'  corps  till  some  men  pass  the  examination.  In 
the  second  year  there  will  probably  be  a  few  members  of 
the  "corps."  For  these  organize  the  instructors'  class. 
Also  start  a  new  leaders'  class.  In  the  third  year  it  may 
be  possible  to  have  the  whole  scheme  in  operation.  If  one, 
two,  or  three  of  the  leaders  have  then  passed  through  tlie 
instructors'  class  satisfactorily^,  and  have  done  good  work 
as  members  of  the  corps,  let  them  be  appointed  honorary 
instructors  and  be  given  the  double  bar,  or  whatever  has 
been  determined  upon  as  the  distinguishing  badge.  Suc- 
cessful management  of  such  a  scheme  will  require  much 
tact  and  patience  on  the  part  of  the  physical  director,  but 
it  is  in  the  line  of  his  highest  usefulness. 


Chap.  25,  D,  4.    the  physical  department.  331 

COURSE  OF  STUDY    FOR  LEADERS'  CLASS. THIRTY  LESSONS. 

Theory. — Physiology  and  anatomy^ — twenty  les- 
sons.— Text  book,  "  Martin's  Human  Body,"  briefer  course. 
The  instructor  should  further  explain,  in  connection  with  the 
appropriate  chapters,  the  physiology  of  exercise,  training, 
mechanism  of  bodily  movements,  etc. 

During  the  year  the  student  should  read  Blakie's 
"How  to  get  Strong;"  " Brawn ville  Papers,"  Moses  Coit 
Tyler;  "Physical  Education,"  Herbert  Spencer. 

Personal  purity  ^— four  lessons. — The  director  should  give 
four  talks  on  physiology  of  reproductive  organs,  effects  of 
violation  of  laws  of  purity  on  body  and  mind,  and  the 
relation  of  exercise,  food,  sleep,  etc.,  to  these  problems. 

First  aid, — six  lesso?is. — First  aid  treatment  of  sprains, 
strains,  broken  bones,  dislocated  joints;  use  of  triangular 
bandage;  transportation  of  injured;  etc. 

PRACTICE, — The  class  should  be  tausrht  the  chief 
drills  used  in  the  gymnasium  in  such  a  way  that  they  can 
teach  them  to  others.  The  instructor  should  see  that  each 
student  is  able  to  do  the  work  in  good  form,  and  is  able  to 
detect  and  locate  deviations  from  that  form  in  others. 

He  should  explain  the  drills,  that  is,  tell  why  certain 
movements  are  used  and  not  others,  why  they  are  arranged 
in  a  certain  order,  etc. 

He  should  see  that  each  man  knows  how  to  teach  all  the 
apparatus  work,  where  the  difficult  points  are,  and  how  a 
beginner  can  overcome  them. 

Each  man  should  learn  how  to  explain  the  prescriptions 
of  the  director  to  new  members. 

About  as  much  time  will  be  needed  to  cover  the  theory 
as  the  practice,  so  each  hour  or  hour  and  a  half  may  be 
divided  into  two  parts  accordingly. 

COURSE  OF  STUDY  FOR  INSTRUCTORS'  CLASS.— THIRTY  LESSONS. 

Physical  department  work, — ten  lessons. — This  chapter 
may  be  used  as  a  text  book.  The  instructor  will  of  course 
amplify,  illustrate,  and  explain. 


322  THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  D,  4. 

Gymnastic  systems, — te7i  lessons. — (1)  Swedish:  "The 
gymnastic  progression,"  Enebuske  ;  (2)  Delsarte:  "An 
hour  with  Delsarte,"  Morgan ;  (3)  German  :  "  Sys- 
tematic training  of  the  body,"  Schaible;  (4)  "The  system 
of  physical  training  at  the  Hemenway  Gymnasium," 
Sargent. 

Man,-— ten  lessons. — The  unity  of  man,  relation  of  body 
to  mind  and  spirit,  necessity  for  cultivation  of  the  body. 
Fundamental  basis  of  the  Association. 

Read  during  year:  "The  nature  of  physical  training, 
and  the  best  means  of  securing  its  ends,"  Hartwell;  "  The 
pedagogic  phase  of  physical  training,"  Wey. 

c.  Class  work. — The  classes  should  be  graded  according 
to  the  character  of  the  work  and  the  proficiency  of  the 
workers.  It  is  best  that  these  divisions  be  quite  small,  six 
being  an  excellent  number.  A  leader  should  be  appointed  for 
each  division,  who  will  be  responsible  for  it  during  the 
session.  These  leaders  must  be  shown  beforehand  how  to 
teach  others  to  vault  or  jump,  or  whatever  the  work  of 
that  evening  is  to  be. 

The  work  of  one  class  might  be  as  follows :  For  the  first 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes  have  some  general  light  or  prepara- 
tory drill,  such  as  dumb-bells  or  wands,  conducted  by  one 
of  the  leaders,  the  physical  director  himself  being  about 
the  room  criticizing  and  helping  those  who  are  new  to  the 
exercise.  This  being  over,  divisions  are  formed  at  the  word 
of  command,  and  march  to  their  pieces  of  apparatus  or 
other  work,  and  exercise  until  the  bell  announces  a  change. 
Then  they  form  in  line  and  march  to  the  next  piece,  and 
so  on  through  the  hour. 

These  divisions  should  not  be  formed  anew  every  even- 
ing, but  should  be  comparatively  permanent,  and  men 
should  be  promoted  from  one  division  to  another  as  fast  as 
their  proficiency  warrants.  During  class  exercise  no  other 
work  can  be  allowed  upon  the  floor.  This  should  be  an 
invariable  rule. 

Good  order  is  indispensable,  especially  in  the  classes;  in 


Chap.  25,  D,  4.    the  physical  department.  323 

fact,  the  beauty  of  the  exercises,  which  should  not  be 
ignored,  is  largely  dependent  upon  the  military  precision 
characterizing  every  movement,  from  the  "  fall  in  "  to  the 
"break  ranks."  The  leaders  should  be  painstaking  in 
details,  placing  the  men  by  height,  keeping  time,  and  mov- 
ing sharply  at  the  word  of  command,  and  should  stimulate 
the  men  to  take  pride  in  the  proficiency  of  their  classes. 
Wholesome,  common  sense  rules  are  needed,  which  should 
be  thoroughly  but  kindly  enforced.  Any  disposition  to 
make  the  gymnasium  a  lounging  place,  to  annoy  others  in 
the  enjoyment  of  their  rights,  or  to  misuse  the  apparatus, 
should  be  ground  for  suspension  or  expulsion. 

At  stated  times  it  is  well  to  have  examinations  for  pro- 
motion, and  possibly  to  award  prizes. 

Of  course,  this  plan  cannot  be  put  into  full  operation  at 
the  first  opening  of  a  gymnasium,  but  it  should  be  worked 
toward  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

d.  Exhihitio7is. — These  should  show  the  work  that  is 
actually  being  done,  for  the  information  of  the  public.  A 
clear  distinction  should  be  made  between  a  gj^mnasium 
exhibition  and  a  gymnastic  entertainment.  Association 
gymnasium  exhibitions  are  desirable,  but  the  latter  are 
very  questionable.  The  circus  is  a  type  of  the  gymnastic 
entertainment,  a  field  that  the  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation does  not  aim  to  occupy.  A  gymnasium  exhibition 
should  be  made  entertaining,  but  its  sole  object  should 
be  to  show  the  work  of  the  physical  department,  which 
should  be  explained  as  the  exhibition  progresses.  It 
should  be  such  that  parents  seeing  it  will  determine  that 
they  cannot  afford  to  have  their  boys  miss  such  training. 

The  exhibition  should  not  be  an  exhibition  of  the  physi- 
cal director.  If  he  appears  at  all,  it  should  be  merely  as 
the  leader  of  a  class.  It  is,  however,  far  better  for  him  to 
be  known  by  the  quality  of  his  pupils'  work  rather  than  by 
his  own,  for  he  rests  his  claim  to  competency  upon  intellec- 
tual rather  than  upon  physical  excellence. 

Care  should  be  taken  regarding  dress.     Loose   clothes 


324  THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  D,  4. 

are  decidedly  preferable  to  tights,  and  quiet  colors  to 
gaudy  ones.  The  work  is  to  be  exhibited,  not  the  person. 
Nothing  should  be  done  that  in  any  way  compromises  the 
person  doing  it.  For  instance,  clownish  performances 
should  have  no  place, — no  one  should  be  allowed  to  play  the 
fool.  We  must  stand  before  the  community  in  the  charac- 
ter of  our  work,  in  our  dress,  in  our  carriage,  in  our  words, 
as  manl}^,  straightforward  Christian  men. 

A  suggested  programme  for  a  gymnasium  exhibition: 
Let  the  first  drill  be  by  the  boys'  class,  having  for  its 
object  the  development  of  the  extrinsic  muscles,  requiring 
movements  that  are  simple  and  occupy  a  few  muscles  at  a 
time.  Let  the  second  drill  be  by  the  business  men's  class, 
intended  primarily  to  affect  the  lungs,  heart,  and  abdominal 
organs,  thus  aiming  at  the  "  general  effects "  of  exercise. 
Give  the  stationary  run,  cradle  rock,  and  other  similar 
movements,  which  produce  deep  breathing,  stimulate  the 
heart,  and  agitate  the  abdominal  organs.  Before  each 
class  and  also  before  each  movement  the  physical  director 
or  a  committeeman  should  explain  the  object  of  each  move- 
ment in  connection  with  the  whole  set  of  exercises,  how 
these  exercises  will  secure  these  objects,  and  why  they  are 
arranged  in  the  order  chosen.  Next,  let  a  class  of  young 
men  give  a  series  of  complicated  Indian  club  movements, 
with  the  explanation  that  these  movements  are  difiicult 
not  because  they  require  great  muscular  strength,  but  be- 
cause they  demand  great  activity  in  certain  portions  of  the 
brain,  and  that  this  same  activity  is  very  essential  in  train- 
ing these  portions.  Let  the  next  class  be  of  boys.  Let 
them  run  and  jump  between  two  ropes  that  are  brought 
nearer  and  nearer  together  until  the  greatest  care  is  neces- 
sary to  just  clear  the  one  without  striking  the  other.  Let 
them  jump  from  one  mat  to  another,  aiming  to  strike  a 
certain  spot  and  hold  their  balance  there,  thus  having  to 
calculate  the  distance  and  the  amount  of  force  required 
while  they  are  running;  all  of  this  involving  very  accurate 
physical  judgment  and  muscular  control.     In  such  an  ex- 


Chap.  25,  D,  4.    the  physical  department.  325 

hibition  all  the  objects  of  phj^sical  exercise  may  be  illus- 
trated. 

An  exhibition  of  another  kind  would  be  to  take  one  or 
more  difficult  exercises  on  the  parallel  bars  or  the  German 
horse,  first  showing  the  exercise  as  a  whole,  then  illustrat- 
ing step  by  step  how  the  beginner  is  initiated  and  gradu- 
ally works  up  to  doing  the  whole  exercise.  Let  it  be  shown 
that  each  step  is  no  harder  for  the  man  who  has  mastered 
the  preceding  ones  than  was  the  first  for  the  beginner. 
Remind  the  audience  that  progression  is  a  necessary  part 
of  education.  Exercises  for  such  an  exhibition  must  be 
selected  from  among  those  that  are  capable  of  perfect 
gradation,  which  is  not  possible  in  all  exercises.  One  of 
the  gymnastic  games,  or  something  else  from  recreative 
gymnastics,  will  add  greatly  to  the  interest,  and  should 
never  be  omitted  in  a  complete  illustration  of  our  work. 

The  exhibition  must  begin  and  close  on  time.  It  must 
go  off  Avith  snap  and  vigor,  proving  that  it  really  is  what 
it  claims  to  be.  Something  new  and  interesting  should 
always  be  shown.  A  well  trained  physical  director  will 
have  no  difficulty  in  giving  exhibitions  year  after  year, 
without  ever  duplicating  the  exercises  and  still  without 
deviating  from  the  actual  work  done.  These  exhibitions 
may  incidentally  be  made  of  financial  value  to  the  Asso- 
ciation. 

Frequent  informal  exhibitions  are  valuable,  to  which 
different  classes  of  men  are  invited,  admission  being  only 
by  ticket.  At  one  time  invite  through  personal  letters  or 
circulars  all  the  physicians  of  the  community,  and  let  the 
exhibition  be  given  and  explained  from  a  medical  stand- 
point, but  not  exclusively  of  medical  gymnastics.  At  an- 
other time  let  all  the  ministers  be  invited,  and  again  those 
working  in  mechanical  trades,  educational  and  recreative 
gymnastics  being  shown  to  a  large  extent.  Such  exhibi- 
tions are  very  useful  in  leading  new  men  to  join  the  Asso- 
ciation, especially  when  members  present  follow  them  up 
for  this  purpose. 


326  THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMEJVT.      Chap.  25,  D,  5. 

5. —  Out-door  work. — a.  For  several  years  the  Associa- 
tions have  given  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  such  work, 
for  they  have  found  that  it  largely  increases  the  value  of 
the  physical  department,  and  holds  and  interests  the  mem- 
bers at  times  when  the  gymnasium  is  almost  unused.  It 
also  allows  a  larger  number  of  men  to  exercise  at  once 
than  the  gymnasium  does.  The  fact  that  the  work  is  done 
out  of  doors  adds  greatly  to  its  value,  and,  as  a  rule,  it  is  in- 
trinsically more  interesting  than  is  that  of  the  gymnasium. 
Athletics  also  have  greater  educational  and  recreative 
value  than  gymnastics,  and  can  be  carried  on  satisfactorily 
at  less  expense, — of  course  by  dispensing  Avith  many  cus- 
tomary refinements.  In  the  past  many  out-door  sports 
have  been  fraught  with  danger,  being  carried  on  amid 
every  species  of  e^dl  environment,  including  sabbath  dese- 
cration, drinking,  gambling,  and  profanity.  It  is  a  happy 
thing  that  the  Associations  are  directing  the  young  man's 
innate  love  for  these  amusements  into  legitimate  channels, 
and  conducting  recreations  as  free  as  possible  from  con- 
taminating influences.  Not  the  least  helpful  office  per- 
formed is  that  of  providing  good  companionship.  Few 
young  men  enjoy  even  a  walk  in  solitude,  and  that  simplest 
form  of  open-air  recreation  loses,  not  only  its  charm,  but 
largely  its  physical  benefit,  if  taken  alone.  The  Association 
is  able  to  gather  its  members  into  congenial  groups,  and 
often  to  stimulate  the  jDhysically  inactive  into  helpful  lines 
of  exercise. 

The  physical  director  will  usually  have  general  over- 
sight of  the  outdoor  work,  especially  where  athletic 
grounds  are  maintained. 

h.  The  character  and  variety  of  outdoor  work  in  a 
given  locality  will  be  governed  by  the  natural  facilities, 
the  tastes  of  the  men,  and  the  money  at  command.  Water 
is  needed  for  boating,  and  the  purchase  or  rental  of 
an  athletic  field  may  be  too  expensive.  But  some- 
thing can  always  be  done,  and  the  proper  pluck  and 
energy    will     overcome     many    difficulties.       No    more 


Chap.  25,  D,  5.   THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.  327 

should  be  attempted  than  has  a  fair  prospect  of  success. 
Sometimes  these  things  are  allowed  to  assume  undue  pro- 
portions, overshadowing  everything  else,  and  exciting  un- 
favorable comment  among  the  more  conservative  j^eople. 
Too  much  prominence  may  sometimes  be  given  to  the  an- 
nouncements, creating  the  impression,  though  a  false  one, 
that  but  little  else  is  done  during  the  summer  months.  All 
these  points  should  be  carefully  guarded. 

c.  Outings  include,  first,  and  as  perhaps  the  most 
common  feature,  the  rambling  club.  A  number  of  young 
men  join  together  for  systematic  excursions  into  the 
country,  taking  a  day  or  part  of  one  each  week  or  fort- 
night. It  is  well  to  arrange  at  the  beginning  a  plan  for 
the  season,  so  that  an  itinerary  may  be  published,  wdth  the 
places  and  hours  of  rendezvous,  cost,  needed  equipment, 
etc.  Within  easy  radius  of  nearly  every  city  many  places 
of  interest  may  be  reached,  perhaps  with  a  short  car  or 
boat  ride,  and  a  score  of  pleasant  trips  be  made  during  the 
season,  relieving  wonderfully  the  monotony  of  the  sum- 
mer's toil,  and  proving  a  boon  especially  to  those  who 
have  no  other  vacation.  The  company  of  some  one  able 
to  talk  instructively  about  the  civil  and  natural  history  of 
the  places  visited  will  add  interest.  Not  infrequently  the 
suburban  home  of  some  friend  may  be  reached  during  a 
ramble,  and  the  j^arty  be  pleasantly  entertained.  Decorum 
should  be  observed,  and  the  leader,  as  responsible  for  the 
behavior  of  the  party,  needs  tact  and  judgment.  Quite 
similar,  but  with  their  distinguishing  characteristics,  are 
clubs  for  wheeling,  riding,  or  boating.  Where  water  is 
accessible  an  Association  may  well  provide  several  boats 
for  its  members,  together  with  instruction  in  swimming. 

d.  The  athletic  field. — This  ranges  all  the  way  from  a 
building  lot  measuring  fifty  by  a  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  to  a  field  containing  a  quarter  of  a  mile  cinder  track, 
ball  grounds,  and  opportunity  for  boating,  swimming,  and 
so  on.  The  best  location  of  the  field  has  been  alluded  to  in 
section  D,  1,  y. 


328  THE  PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.     Chap.  25,  B,  5. 

In  the  smallest  of  the  grounds  just  mentioned,  it  will  be 
possible  to  have  places  made  for  the  high  jump,  both  run- 
ning and  standing;  hop,  step,  and  jump;  three  jumps,  and 
other  similar  sports;  and  for  pole  vaulting,  both  for  height 
and  distance.  Such  a  field  will  also  be  large  enough  for 
putting  the  twelve  or  sixteen  pound  shot;  for  throwing  the 
fifty-six  pound  weight;  and  when  only  half  a  dozen  or  so 
use  the  ground  at  a  time  throwing  the  hammer  may  be 
carried  on,  but,  owing  to  the  fact  that  a  twelve  pound 
hammer  may  be  thrown  anywhere  from  sixty  to  a  hundred 
feet,  it  ought  never  to  be  used  while  others  are  within 
range,  as  the  sensations  j^roduced  by  being  hit  with  one 
are  said  not  to  be  pleasurable. 

The  larger  grounds  should  include  a  flat  suitable  for  the 
various  games  of  ball.  The  space  inclosed  by  a  fifth  of  a 
mile  track  is  generally  sufinicient  for  this  purpose,  provided 
the  track  is  not  too  narrow  an  ellipse.  Tennis  courts  are 
very  serviceable,  and  almost  any  Association  will  use  from 
four  to  six. 

In  connection  with  the  field  there  should  be  a  small 
house  where  athletic  implements  may  be  kept,  and  where 
the  players  may  change  their  clothing.  Lockers  and  op- 
portunities for  bathing  are  desirable.  A  veranda  over- 
looking the  field  will  be  found  very  pleasurable. 

In  j)reparation  for  high  juinping^  small  uprights  are 
sunk  into  the  ground,  with  holes  bored  through  them  an 
inch  apart  from  two  to  six  feet  above  the  ground.  Pegs 
or  nails  placed  in  these  holes  support  a  cross-piece  to  be 
jumped.  Figures  on  the  uprights  at  the  holes  indicate  an 
inch  more  than  the  height  from  the  ground,  thus  giving 
the  actual  height  at  the  top  of  the  cross-piece.  A  smooth 
hard  track,  from  three  to  six  feet  wide  and  from  twenty  to 
forty  feet  long,  leads  up  to  these  standards.  Beyond  them 
the  ground  must  be  dug  up  and  kept  soft  so  that  there 
shall  be  a  minimum  of  danger  of  sprained  ankles. 

Pole  vaulting. — The  apparatus  is  similar  to  that  for  the 
high  jump,  excepting  that  the  poles  rise  ten  feet  from  the 


Chap.  25,  D,  5.    the  physical  department.  S2d 

ground.  The  ground  on  the  further  side  should  be  made 
still  softer,  owing  to  the  greater  height  of  the  fall.  An 
excellent  method  to  prevent  the  pole  from  going  so  far 
into  the  ground  as  to  impede  the  jumper  is  to  place  a  strong 
plank  two  feet  square  in  the  ground,  inclined  toward  the 
start,  the  upper  edge  being  flush  'with  the  surface,  and 
the  lower  about  eight  inches  below  it. 

JBroad  jtmiping. — The  place  is  prepared  like  that  for 
high  jumping,  except  that  a  beam  six  inches  square  and 
not  less  than  four  feet  long  should  be  sunk  into  the  ground 
for  a  "take  oif."  The  ground  should  be  dug  away  for 
three  or  four  feet  on  the  further  side  of  this  to  the  depth 
of  five  inches,  so  that  the  jumper  cannot  step  over  without 
inconvenience  or  discovery. 

Putting  the  shot. — It  is  desirable  to  have  an  iron  ring 
seven  feet  in  diameter,  with  a  rim  three  inches  wide, 
placed  in  the  ground  with  about  an  inch  above  the  sur- 
face. This  makes  the  best  circle  from  which  to  put  the 
shot  or  throw  the  hammer,  and  may  be  very  easily  changed 
from  one  place  to  another. 

Iiim7img  track. — A  track  may  be  made  by  first  grading 
the  ground,  making  the  desired  slopes  and  curves,  then 
rolling  systematically  for  a  month  or  two,  particularly 
after  every  rain.  The  ground  will  become  so  hard  that 
the  addition  of  half  an  inch  of  the  finest  cinders  is  all  that 
is  necessary  to  make  it  a  serviceable  cinder  track.  The 
only  care  that  it  will  require  will  be  rolling  after  rains  to 
keep  it  even,  and  a  little  wetting  in  very  dry  weather. 
It  is  desirable  to  have  at  least  a  hundred  and  twenty  yards 
"  straight  away." 

Tennis  courts  may  be  made  in  a  similar  manner  if  the 
soil  is  suitable,  except  that  a  coating  of  cinders  is  not  re- 
quired. The  court  should  be  a  trifle  higher  than  the  sur- 
rounding ground  so  that  rain  water  will  run  off.  Sand 
and  loam  or  clay  courts  are  preferable  to  grass  courts,  as 
they  require  less  care  to  keep  them  in  order. 

An  occasional  field-day  is  popular  and  useful.     Objec- 


330  THE   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.      Chap.  25,  D,  5. 

tionable  conduct  and  language  should  be  carefully 
guarded  against.  Especially  should  everything  in  the 
betting  line  be  strictly  prohibited.  Propriety  should 
be  studied  in  all  printed  announcements,  particularly  in 
the  Association  bulletins.  While  there  are  many  distinc- 
tive and  proper  terms  in  connection  with  athletic  games, 
a  species  of  technical  slang  may  well  be  dispensed  with. 

Scormg  systetn. — The  fundamental  idea  here  also  should 
be  all-round  development,  and  not  excellence  in  individual 
features.  All-round  competition  should  form  the  basis  of 
the  work,  and  the  prizes  should  be  given  for  such  excel- 
lence. The  men  should  be  shown  that  it  is  far  more 
desirable  to  do  half  a  dozen  things  fairly  well,  so  training 
different  parts  of  the  body  and  various  faculties,  than 
it  is  to  do  only  one,  though  with  a  much  higher  degree  of 
excellence. 

A  system  of  grading  is  recommended  to  the  Associa- 
tions which  seems  to  afford  a  solution  of  many  difficulties 
that  have  presented  themselves  in  the  past.  In  brief,  the 
system  is  as  follows:  Let  five  events,  the  hundred  yard 
dash,  running  high  jump,  throwing  the  twelve  pound 
hammer,  pole  vault,  and  mile  run  constitute  the  all-round 
competition.  They  call  into  play  nearly  all  the  faculties 
that  are  trained  by  athletics,  and  proficiency  in  them 
secures  all-round  development.  The  hundred  yard  dash 
requires  speed  and  skill  as  well  as  quickness  in  starting, 
and  uses  primarily  the  muscles  of  the  legs.  The  running 
high  jump  demands  much  skill  in  muscular  co-ordination 
and  elasticity,  employing  the  muscles  of  the  legs  and  back. 
Throwing  the  hammer  requires  considerable  vigor  of  the 
waist  and  arms,  as  well  as  a  large  amount  of  skill  that  can 
only  be  secured  by  practice.  The  pole  vault  demands 
some  muscular  strength  of  the  legs,  a  large  amount  in  the 
waist  and  arms,  and  probably  more  skill  than  any  similar 
exercise.  The  mile  run  requires  good  legs,  tries  the  vigor 
and  strength  of  heart  and  lungs,  and  tests  endurance.  In 
all  these  exercises  there  is  not  merely  a  training  of  the 


Chap.  25,  D,  5.    THE  physical  department.  S31 

body  for  health,  but  there  is  a  training  of  the  higher  nerve 
centres  with  relation  to  exact  control  of  the  body.  In 
order  to  obviate  the  difficulty  of  comparing  the  work  of 
different  men,  each  one's  mark  is  an  absolute  record  of  his 
own  work  rather  than  a  comparison  of  his  work  with  that 
of  others.  This  enables  him  to  compare  his  work  day  by 
day  with  all  that  has  been  done  before,  and  to  learn  where 
he  is  weak  and  needs  development;  while  if  the  mark  de- 
pends mainly  on  whether  he  comes  out  first,  second  or 
third  in  any  given  event,  it  is  not  possible  for  him  to 
accurately  gauge  and  improve  on  his  work.  By  such  a 
uniform  system  the  standing  of  different  gymnasium 
classes  also  can  be  accurately  fixed.  It  thus  affords  an 
excellent  guide  for  systematic  development  in  athletics, 
and  places  superiority  within  reach  of  men  who  could 
never  excel  in  individual  features,  but  who  can  be  trained 
for  all-round  work.  It  is  impossible  here  to  describe  this 
system  in  detail.  This  is  done  in  Int.  pph.  No.  38,  **  Offi- 
cial rules  and  scoring  table  for  athletic  contests." 

At  such  contests  a  large  blackboard  should  be  provided, 
so  ruled  as  to  enable  the  spectators  to  keep  track  of  the 
events.  It  might  be  well  to  have  a  blackboard  for  each 
event  and  another  for  the  summing  up  of  all.  This  will 
also  aid  the  scorer  in  keeping  the  record  complete. 

Teartx  competitions  can  be  carried  on  by  averaging  the 
record;  that  is,  the  total  for  the  team  may  be  divided  by 
the  number  of  men  it  contains,  the  size  of  the  team  bear- 
ing some  relation  to  that  of  the  physical  department  mem- 
bership it  represents.  The  objections  to  this  system  of 
scoring  and  competition  have  been  rather  of  theory  than 
of  practice,  for  it  has  often  been  carried  out  successfully. 

c.  An  Association  chcb  house  at  the  seaside  or  at  soma 
other  pleasant  and  healthful  spot,  where  young  men  can 
spend  their  vacations  with  abundant  facilities  for  recrea- 
tion, good  social  and  moral  surroundings,  and  at  reason- 
able cost,  is  an  experiment  worth  the  trying,  especially 
near  large  centres  of  population.     Some  approach  to  this 


332  THE  PHYSICAL-  DEPARTMENT.       Chap.  25,  E. 

has  been  made  in  connection  with  the  summer  institutes, 
schools,  and  camps. 

y.  'Wt?iter  sports  are  popular  among  the  Associations 
in  some  sections,  especially  in  Canada,  where  snow  shoe 
runs,  tobogganing,  skating,  and  the  various  ice  games  are 
found  to  be  exhilarating  and  healthful. 


SECTION  E. 

THE    RELIGIOUS    WORK. 

The  object  of  the  Association  being  to  save  and  build 
up  young  men,  the  work  of  each  department  must  be  in 
accordance  with  and  in  relation  to  the  work  as  a  whole. 
The  physical  department  must  then,  first,  be  instrumental 
in  making  better  men  physically,  more  enduring  men, 
men  whose  bodies  are  under  better  control  than  before. 
But,  beyond  this,  attention  must  at  the  same  time  he 
called  to  the  greater  need  of  good  intellects,  and  to  the 
still  greater  need  of  strong  spiritual  characters. 

How  can  the  physical  department  best  accomplish  this 
threefold  work?  The  fundamental  rule  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  this  result  is  that  the  object  of  the  Associa- 
tion be  continually  kept  in  mind  by  the  officers  of  the  As- 
sociation, the  physical  department  committee  and  leaders, 
and  especially  by  the  physical  director.  His  life  must  be 
given  to  the  all-round  idea,  not  to  the  physical  department. 
The  idea  of  complete  development  must  be  embodied  in  the 
mottoes  and  symbols  of  the  Association,  and  in  the  kinds  of 
gymnastics  and  athletics  undertaken.  It  should  be  set  forth 
so  plainly  that,  although  others  may  not  agree  with  it, 
still  they  cannot  misunderstand  it. 

Physical  manliness  is  peculiarly  attractive,  and,  added 
to  Christian  character  and  earnestness,  gives  a  young  man 
a  vantage  ground  of  influence,  especially  over  those  with 
whose  exercises  and  sports  he  is  sympathetic.     As  in  all 


Chap.  25,  E.     the  physical  department.  333 

the  other  work,  the  most  satisfactory  results  may  be 
expected  from  a  constant,  discreet,  personal  influence 
through  the  opportunities  afforded  here  by  unusually  fam- 
iliar and  informal  contact. 

As  to  methods  of  work,  it  may  be  said  that  organized 
work  is  always  better  than  unorganized.  A  disciplined 
army  will  always  beat  a  mob,  and  this  is  as  true  regarding 
Christian  work  as  anywhere  else.  The  "leaders' corps" 
described  in  section  D,  4,  J,  is  made  up  of  men  selected 
on  account  of  ability  to  lead,  and  corresponds  in  this 
department,  in  its  central  and  important  position,  to  the 
training  class  of  the  general  secretary.  Its  members  are 
trained  both  in  the  practice  and  the  theory  of  all  the  gym- 
nastics that  are  to  be  taught,  not  merely  in  such  a  way 
that  they  may  know  them,  but  that  they  may  be  able  to 
teach  them  to  others.  They  are  selected  from  the  active 
members.  If  there  are  few  such  connected  with  the  physical 
department,  others  may  be  induced  to  enter  it  for  the  ex- 
press f)urpose  of  being  useful,  when  they  are  shown  that  no 
other  department  contains  so  many  men  that  are  not 
Christians,  and  that  no  other  department  offers  so  good  an 
opportunity  for  personal  work,  physical,  intellectual,  and 
spiritual. 

A  reception  committee  should  also  be  organized,  whose 
members  will  see  that  new  men  follow  the  prescriptions  of 
the  physical  director  regarding  their  work,  and  that  they 
become  acquainted  with  the  better  members  of  the  gym- 
nasium. They  should,  of  course,  be  genial  men,  and  their 
hours  should  be  so  arranged  that  at  least  one  will  be  on  the 
floor  during  the  time  that  the  gymnasium  is  most  frequented. 
In  no  other  place  will  formality  be  more  quickly  resented 
and  cordiality  be  more  appreciated.  When  a  man  steps 
on  the  gymnasium  floor  for  the  first  time,  he  feels  strange 
and  awkward;  he  tries  one  or  two  of  the  things  that  he 
sees  done  by  others  with  perfect  ease,  and  finds  himself 
utterly  unable  to  cope  with  them.  Then  is  the  opportune 
moment  for  some  manly  fellow  to  make  his  acquaintance 


334  THE   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.       Chap.  25,  E. 

and  secure  the  influence  which  will  subsequently  give  an 
opportunity  for  the  realization  of  the  ideal  Association 
work. 

Committees  that  will  wisely  extend  invitations  to  the 
religious  meetings  and  circulate  desirable  literature,  espec- 
ially good  tracts  on  personal  purity,  will  also  be  useful; 
but  they  must  be  carefully  selected  and  work  with  little 
public  demonstration. 

Every  physical  director  should  have  a  Bible  class.  The 
arguments  in  favor  of  the  secretary's  having  one  apply 
with  equal  force  here.  If  he  feels  himself  unqualified  to 
conduct  such  a  class,  he  should  study  each  lesson  the  more 
carefully,  in  order  to  meet  this  deficiency.  His  relation 
to  the  members  enables  him  to  speak  to  them  regarding 
these  matters  from  vantage  ground.  The  class  is  designed 
for  gymnasium  members  and  friends  whom  they  specially 
invite.  The  leaders'  corps  should  keep  this  upon  their 
minds,  as  an  effective  means  of  presenting  the  word  of 
God  to  such  men.  They  should  co-operate  with  the  phy- 
sical director  in  securing  the  desired  attendance,  and  in 
making  the  meetings  profitable.  Personal,  pointed  appli- 
cation of  Scripture  must  be  made  in  regard  to  sin,  salva- 
tion, the  new  life,  and  kindred  matters.  Topics  that  pre- 
tend to  be  on  one  subject  but  are  really  on  another  should 
be  avoided. 

A  meeting  having  a  subject  likely  to  attract  the  men 
of  the  department,  and  led  by  one  of  the  instructors  or 
gymnasium  members,  may  be  useful.  In  some  instances 
a  series  of  such  meetings  has  been  held  successfully  on  the 
gymnasium  floor.  Whether  this  is  advisable  or  not,  the 
physical  director  and  leaders  should  be  regular  attendants 
at  the  Association  meetings,  and  secure  the  presence  of  as 
many  members  of  the  department  as  possible.  Gospel 
temperance  and  personal  purity  meetings,  which  are 
directly  related  to  the  physical  department,  are  referred 
to  in  Chap.  22,  B,  2. 

Very  efficient  work  may  be  done  in  connection  with  the 


Chap.  25,  F.     the  physical  departme^tt.  335 

physical  examination.  This  may  not  always  be  the  best 
time  to  broach  questions  of  personal  religion,  but  it  opens 
the  way  for  a  peculiar  acquaintance  and  influence,  and  for 
ready  access  to  those  who  are  either  wilfully  perverting  or 
ignoring  their  spiritual  natures.  The  physical  director 
who  neglects  this  avenue  of  approach  to  his  members  is 
neglecting  his  greatest  personal  opportunity  to  meet  their 
spiritual  needs,  and  no  greater  one  is  offered  in  the  Asso- 
ciation work.  Christian  common  sense,  tact,  and  know^l- 
edge  are  necessary  here,  as  well  as  zeal  and  enthusiasm. 

Of  course,  all  religious  efforts  will  be  made  in  close 
harmony  with  the  religious  department  of  the  Association. 
There  will  be  no  attempt  to  build  up  an  independent  work, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  constant  effort  will  be  made  to  in- 
troduce into  the  general  religious  work  the  men  who  are 
first  brought  under  religious  influence  in  connection  with 
the  physical  department. 


SECTION  F. 

THE    PHYSICAL    DIRECTOR.* 

The  physical  director  is  a  leader  of  men,  so  he  must  be  a 
man  in  every  sense  of  that  word,  an  example  of  what  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  is  aiming  to  produce. 
He  should  be  a  good  man  physically,  having  thorough 
control  of  his  body.  He  should  be  well  educated,  a  good 
man  intellectually.  He  should  be  a  thoroughly  earnest  and 
consecrated  man  spiritually.  If  he  stands  for  all-round 
development  he  must  strive  for  it  in  himself.  He  must 
keep  up  his  studies,  having  in  his  library  the  best  standard 
and  current  literature  in  the  line  of  his  profession.  But 
scientific  books  of  value  on  many  questions  arising  in  his 
work  are  not  yet  in  existence,  so  he  must  be  able  to  solve 
such   problems  himself,  and  therefore  requires  ability  to 

*See  "The  physical  directorship  as  a  Ufe  work,"  Int.  pph.  No.  102. 


336  '         THE   PHYSICAL   DEPARTME2fT.        Chap.  25,  F. 

follow  a  course  of  reasoning  from  beginning  to  end.  Cor- 
respondence with  his  fellow  directors  in  other  Associations 
will  also  be  helpful.  Spiritual  needs  are  deepest  and  most 
fundamental,  so  he  must  be  strong  here,  for  he  will  meet 
with  tendencies  towards  materialism.  He  must  be  fam- 
iliar with  the  Scriptures  and  able  to  use  them  intelligently. 

He  needs  also  to  be  a  good  trainer  of  men.  The  high- 
est compliment  to  a  j^hysical  director  would  be  that  his 
work  is  so  thoroughly  organized  that  it  will  go  right  on, 
although  he  should  be  absent  for  a  time. 

Among  the  necessary  qualifications  is  leadership.  In 
our  gymnasiums  we  do  not  endeavor  to  obtain  military 
control  of  our  members.  Such  an  attempt  would  be  un- 
wise. We  must  discipline  and  control  by  leading  rather 
than  by  driving.  A  man  who  is  naturally  a  leader  will 
have  little  difficulty  in  accomplishing  this,  but  one  who  is 
not  will  find  it  impossible.  A  man  can  readil}^  tell  whether 
he  is  a  leading  spirit  by  looking  backward,  and  seeing 
whether  he  was  chosen  captain  of  the  baseball  tea,m, 
whether  he  got  up  rowing  clubs,  and  led  in  the  sports  and 
pastimes  of  boyhood  and  early  manhood.  These  seem  to 
be  indications  of  capacity  in  this  direction,  and  the  advi- 
sability of  a  man's  going  into  this  work  may  be  questioned, 
if  he  has  not,  to  some  degree  at  least,  been  recognized  as 
having  leadership.  Leadership  is  more  fully  treated  of  in 
chapter  10,  B,  2,  e.  Another  indispensable  qualification  is 
common  sense,  or  what  is  sometimes  known  as  "horse 
sense."  Tact  is  another.  The  work  in  the  gymnasium 
on  spiritual  lines  is  by  hand-to-hand  methods,  and  without 
tact  a  man  could  accomplish  very  little. 

What  technical  training  is  needed  ?  The  director  should 
not  follow  any  single  system  of  gymnastics,  but  should  be 
so  familiar  with  the  fundamental  bases  of  the  different 
systems  that  he  understands  the  why  and  wherefore,  and 
can  himself  meet  the  conditions  that  obtain  in  the  gymna- 
sium. He  must  be  acquainted  with  the  history  of  physical 
education,  and  know,  as  far  as  possible,  what  was  done  by 


Chap.  35,  F.      the  physical  department.  337 

the  Greeks  and  what  is  being  done  to-day.  He  must  study 
the  work  of  Delsarte  of  France,  Jahn  of  Germany,  Ling  of 
Sweden,  Maclaren  of  England,  and  of  those  who  are  prom- 
inently identified  with  the  work  in  America.  Only  by 
knowing  What  such  men  have  learned  and  practiced  after 
investigation  in  these  lines,  can  he  use  their  methods  in- 
telligently and  originate  methods  of  his  own.  A  man  who 
is  to  prescribe  exercise  for  the  body,  and  oversee  its  de- 
velopment under  widel}^  varying  conditions,  must  also 
have  a  thorough  knowledge  of  physiology  and  anatomy; 
not  a  physiology  that  looks  forward  chiefly  to  the  subse- 
quent study  of  pathology,  l)ut  that  continually  studies  man 
as  he  is;  not  an  anatomy  that  refers  to  surgery,  but  that 
studies  man  as  a  machine.  He  must  be  well  acquainted 
with  physical  diagnosis,  not  necessarily  able  to  designate 
diseases  like  typhoid  fever,  that  come  under  the  head  of 
medical  diagnosis,  but  able  to  recognize  deviations  from 
health  and  competent  to  say  to  a  man  after  examination, 
"  Your  heart  is  normal  and  you  are  in  condition  to  under- 
take physical  work."  He  needs  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  human  form  and  the  laws  governing  it,  gained  by  the 
stud}^  of  anthropometry.  He  must  be  familiar  with  the 
modern  methods  of  tabulation  and  the  use  of  statistics  in 
this  direction.  Knowledge  of  hygiene  is  also  essential. 
The  most  remarkable  effects  produced  to-day  in  physical 
education  are,  perhaps,  those  secured  by  training  the  nerve 
centres  and  those  produced  upon  the  mind  through  physi- 
cal exercises,  as  at  the  New  York  State  Reformatory  at 
Elmira,  and  in  some  private  treatment  of  weak  minded 
children.  Acquaintance  with  these  facts,  and  with  the 
principles  of  physiological  j^sychology  by  which  they  are 
explained,  will  be  very  useful. 

In  j)ractical  gymnastics  he  should  be  acquainted  with  the 
different  kinds  of  calisthenics,  and  with  the  use  of  dumb- 
bells, Indian  clubs,  wands,  the  push  ball,  and  the  developing 
apparatus,  such  as  chest  w^eights  and  floor  and  overhead 
pulleys.     He  should  be  familiar  with  the  basal  movements 


338  THE    PHYSICAL   DEPARTMENT.         Chap.  25,  F. 

of  the  vaulting  bar,  parallel  bars,  horse,  buck,  and  so  on, 
and  know  how  to  build  up  systematically  from  these  into 
complete  and  desirable  drills. 

He  should  understand  the  mechanical  construction  of 
the  apparatus  and  be  able  to  keep  it  in  order  and  repair  it. 
He  will  be  held  responsible  for  the  good  condition  of  the 
gymnasium,  bath  and  dressing  rooms,  and  athletic  field. 
These  cannot  be  safe  and  healthful  without  constant 
watchfulness  and  repairs. 

The  Associations  are  pushing  with  great  vigor  in  the 
line  of  athletics,  of  which  the  j^bysical  director  often  has 
charge,  and  he  is  always  expected  to  be  competent  for  such 
work.  He  must  be  familiar  with  Avalking,  si^rint  and 
long  distance  running,  jumping,  pole  vaulting,  jDutting  the 
shot,  throwing  the  hammer,  baseball,  lacrosse,  polo,  and 
so  on.  He  will  be  expected  to  lead  swimming  parties,  to 
give  instruction  in  rowing,  and  to  know  how  to  rescue  a 
man  from  drowning.  He  needs  to  know  something  about 
massage  and  Swedish  movements,  and  while  he  may  not  be 
called  on  to  teach  boxing  and  wrestling,  still  it  is  desira- 
ble that  he  understand  them.  Fencing  he  will  find  to 
be  an  exercise  of  growing  promise  in  our  work.  And 
then  he  must  know  how  to  teach  many  of  these  things 
to  others,  which  is  an  entirely  different  thing  from  being 
able  to  do  them  himself.  Lastly,  he  should  so  understand 
the  principles  of  gymnastics  that  he  can  originate  exercises 
and  drills  to  meet  different  conditions.  The  mere  commit- 
ting to  memory  of  hundreds  of  different  movements  will 
not  suffice,  for  the  conditions  in  different  communities  are 
never  identical,  and  work  must  always  be  prescribed  to 
meet  the  individual  case  and  the  individual  community. 


Chap.  25,  Gr.         THE   PHYSICAL  DEPARTMENT.  339 

SECTION  G. 


In  addition  to  the  business  management,  the  members 
of  this  committee  will  be  the  intimate  counselors  of 
the  physical  director,  and  if  i^ractical  men,  as  they 
usually  must  be  to  have  real  sympathy  with  it,  they  may 
do  good  work  on  the  floor  or  the  field,  aiding  in  the  super- 
vision and  making  themselves  useful  in  many  ways. 
Especially  should  they  assist  in  bringing  the  members  into 
contact  and  symjDathy  with  the  other  departments,  both  by 
individual  effort  and  through  the  various  agencies  intro- 
duced for  this  purpose.  A  good  Christian  physician  may 
be  very  serviceable  on  this  committee. 

The  committee  may  be  divided  into  sub-committees,  each 
one  in  charge  of  a  special  branch  of  its  work. 

The  physical  director  should  sustain  a  similar  relation  to 
this  committee  that  the  general  secretary  does  to  the  board 
of  directors.  He  is  its  executive  officer.  He  should  either 
be  an  ex  officio  member  of  the  committee,  or  his  regular 
attendance  at  its  meetings  should  be  fully  provided  for. 
He  should  lay  all  plans  before  it  and  undertake  only  such 
as  are  approved.  The  general  secretary,  of  course,  holds 
the  same  relation  to  this  committee  as  to  all  others. 


*A  form  of  report  for  this  committee  is  given  in  sample  No.  25. 


CHAPITER    26. 

THE  SOCIAL  DEPARTMENT.'' 


Tlie  specific  treatment  of  tliis  branch  of  the  work  seems 
to  come  naturally  after  that  of  the  religious,  intellectual, 
and  physical  departments,  as  it  relates  wholly  to  mutual 
intercourse,  while  the  others  primarily  relate  to  the  indi- 
vidual. Much  has  already  been  said  about  social  features 
directly  connected  with  the  other  departments,  because  a 
hearty  social  life  must  pervade  them  all.  An  iceberg, 
although  purity  itself,  is  but  cold  and  repellent;  while 
jsociability,  like  the  sunshine,  glows  and  warms,  beautifies 
and  attracts.  The  organization  with  a  true  social  spirit 
will  draw  and  hold  young  men  in  the  greatest  numbers, 
even  if  poorly  provided  with  many  means  and  appliances 
suggested  in  the  foregoing  pages. 


SECTION  A. 

THE    RECEPTION    COMMITTEE. 

1. — The  social  work  includes  three  principal  features  : 
evening  supervision,  the  social  rooms  and  their  appliances, 
and  the  social  entertainments.  The  committee  may 
naturally  have  several  sub-divisions.  One  of  these,  known 
as  the  reception  committee,  supervises  the   evening  social 

*  A  form  of  report  for  this  department  is  suggested  in  sample  No.  26. 
This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  63. 


Chap.  ^6,  A,  3.      tSe  social  department.  341 

work,  thus  occupying  a  position  of  great  responsibility. 
Its  members  are  on  duty  when  the  rooms  are  most  visited, 
and  are  often  the  first  representatives  of  the  Association 
met  by  strangers,  whose  early  impressions  may  fix  their 
future  attitude  towards  the  organization.  In  large  Asso- 
ciations they  also  sustain  important  relations  to  the  culti- 
vation of  friendly  intercourse  among  the  members,  many 
of  whom  are  necessarily  strangers  to  one  another.  (See 
**  Reception  committee  rules,"  appendix,  sample  No.  41.) 

2. — This  committee  is  usually  a  large  one,  made  up 
chiefly  of  the  younger  active  members,  who  are  most  apt 
to  have  evening  leisure  ;  and  so  divided  into  sections  that 
two  or  more,  as  the  work  requires,  will  be  on  duty  each 
evening.  It  is  desirable  that  the  sections  serve  weekly, 
but  perhaps  some  valuable  members  can  do  so  only  once  a 
fortnight.  Each  section  has  its  chairman,  who  directs  the 
evening's  work,  and  consults  as  may  be  necessary  with  the 
general  secretary.  The  latter  officer  will  keep  the  chair- 
men informed  as  to  new  members,  strangers  he  has  met, 
and  other  helpful  items.  A  memorandum  book  in  which 
both  the  secretary  and  the  chairmen  record  such  matters 
will  be  mutually  helpful.  The  members  of  the  committee 
generally  wear  a  neat  badge  marked  "  Reception  "  or  "  Re- 
ception Committee." 

3. — The  reception  room  will  be  the  headquarters,  near 
the  outer  door  of  which  one  of  the  committee  at  least 
should  be  stationed,  to  greet  those  who  enter,  especially 
strangers.  Common  sense  will  be  needed  here.  A  person 
Avho  wishes  merely  to  glance  at  a  paper,  and  is  perhaps  in  a 
hurry,  should  not  be  bored  with  conversation;  but  a  young 
stranger  dropping  in  for  a  social  hour,  or  to  learn  about 
the  Association,  possibly  with  the  thought  of  joining, 
should  be  shown  through  the  building  and  given  every  de- 
sired attention.  Some  Associations  prepare  a  brief  state- 
ment regarding  the  work,  to  be  studied  by  every  member 
of  the  reception  committee,  together  with  a  description  of 
pictures  or  other  objects  of  interest  in  the  rooms,  important 


342  THE  SOCIAL  DEPARTMEifT.        Chap.  26,  A,  4. 

features  of  the  library,  etc.  Great  care  must  be  exercised  in 
the  case  of  non-Christians.  Conversation  should  be  thought- 
fully adapted  to  individuals.  They  are  to  be  brought  into 
the  Association,  if  possible,  but  must  not  be  repelled  by 
over-anxiety.  In  introducing  the  subject  of  personal  relig- 
ion, opportunity  for  which  will  often  occur  to  the  earnest 
committeeman,  a  consecrated  tact  is  specially  required. 
Often  a  friendly  acquaintance  may  well  precede  such  an 
attempt,  and  nothing  be  lost  in  the  waiting.  A  cordial  in- 
vitation to  the  young  men's  meeting  will  sometimes  be  the 
entering  wedge.  Every  effort  should  be  made  to  get  hold 
of  young  men  coming  from  the  country  or  the  smaller 
towns,  who  often  encounter  such  temptations  in  the  new 
life  of  the  city  that  they  are  speedily  lured  to  ruin. 

4. — The  members  of  the  committee  should  never  consider 
themselves  as  entirely  off  duty,  but  should  habituate  them- 
selves to  remember  faces  and  recognize  on  the  street  or 
elsewhere  the  young  men  whom  they  meet  at  the  rooms, 
particularly  those  who  lack  social  advantages.  They  will 
also  call  on  young  men  brought  to  their  notice  by  others. 
All  who  are  connected  with  the  Association  should  take 
pains  either  to  accompany  young  strangers  to  the  rooms, 
or  send  their  addresses  to  the  committee.  Each  committee- 
man may  be  provided  by  the  Association  with  cards  bear- 
ing his  name,  his  evening  on  duty,  and  the  address  of  the 
Association.  The  free  use  of  such  cards  may  lead  many 
friends  to  drop  in  at  the  rooms.  (See  appendix,  sample 
No.  42).  Much  may  also  be  done  in  the  way  of  introduc- 
ing young  men  to  the  churches,  and  informing  pastors 
about  them,  particularly  when  religious  interest  has  been 
manifested  or  when  they  carry  church  letters.  In  such 
efforts  the  committee  may  helpfullj^  co-operate  with  the 
religious  work  committee.  A  "  suggestive  plan  "  with  speci- 
men blanks  may  be  found  in  "  The  Watchman,"  1888, 
page  235. 

5. — The  systematic  collection  of  statistics  will  add  inter- 
est and  assist  greatly  in  reporting   the    work.     A    "  Re- 


Chap.  26,  B,  2.      THE  social  department.  343 

ception  Committee  Evening  Record,"  issued  by  the  Young 
Men's  Era  Publishing  Co.,  is  shown  in  the  appendix, 
sample  I^o.  43.  To  the  items  there  given  should  be 
added  the  number  present  at  evening  prayers,  when 
these  are  conducted  under  direction  of  the  committee. 
Many  reception  committees  use  a  "  daily  journal "  as  a 
record  book.  A  visitors'  register  may  also  be  made  help- 
ful to  the  work  in  many  ways.  A  register  of  resident 
young  men  is  sometimes  kept  in  the  secretary's  office,  in 
which  may  be  entered  any  new  names  secured  by  the  even- 
ing committee.  Pads  of  the  blank  shown  in  the  appendix, 
sample  No.  44,  will  be  found  useful  for  this  purpose. 

6. — A  monthly  meeting  of  the  committee  should  be 
held  for  reports,  comparison  of  experiences,  and  suggest- 
ions. Occasionally  refreshments  should  be  served  at  the 
meeting,  and  a  pleasant  social  hour  added  to  the  ordinary 
business  session.  A  bulletin  containing  the  names  of  the 
committee  for  each  evening  of  the  week  should  be  hung 
in  the  reception  room. 


SECTION  B. 

THE    SOCIAL    ROOMS. 

1. — The  social  rooms  include  the  reception  room  and 
parlors,  and  often  a  separate  room  for  games.  The  recep- 
tion room  has  been  described  in  Chap.  14,  C,  5,  a,  A  neat 
lavatory,  fully  supplied  with  necessities  for  the  toilet,  is  near 
at  hand.  But  whatever  the  available  space,  there  should 
be  crowded  into  it  as  many  as  possible  of  the  pleasing  and 
convenient  characteristics  of  the  home.  There  will  also 
be  an  absence  of  the  restraints  necessary  in  some  other 
rooms,  and  freedom  for  conversation,  music,  and  reasonable 
mirth.  Anything  boisterous  should  be  kindly  and  quietly 
checked. 

2, — Such  a  resort,  with  the  companionsliip  of    the  secre- 


344  THE  SOCIAL  DEPARTMENT.        Chap.  26,  B,  3. 

tary,  tlie  reception  committee,  and  a  social  membership, 
must  attract  young  men,  reaching  often  where  the  direct 
religious  work  does  not,  and  counteracting  in  no  small  de- 
gree evil  things  and  places.  The  social  spirit  must  be 
real  and  hearty.  The  active  members  should  aid  in  mak- 
ing the  place  a  popular  rendezvous,  and  also  one  that  will 
improve  the  address  and  conversational  powers  of  those 
Avho  frequent  it. 

3. — Recreative  attractions  should  be  provided.  Music 
is  easily  first  on  the  list.  There  should  be  a  good  instru- 
ment, or,  still  better,  both  a  piano  and  organ.  There 
should  be  a  variety  of  written  music,  secular  as  well  as 
sacred,  including  college  songs.  Anj^thing  new  that  is 
specially  good  should  be  added  at  once,  that  the  young 
men  may  know  Avhere  to  find  the  latest  and  best.  Noth- 
ing is  more  attractive  to  young  men  than  music,  whether 
they  are  musicians  themselves  or  simply  listeners. 

4. — Only  pictures  of  real  merit  should  find  a  place  on 
the  walls.  Consign  gift  chromos  to  the  storeroom.  On 
the  tables  maj^  be  books  of  engravings,  with  stereoscopic 
and  other  photographic  views.  To  these  may  be  added 
plates  from  magazines  or  books,  mounted  at  slight  cost, 
and  woodcuts  tastefully  arranged  on  colored  cards,  in 
albums,  or  portfolios. 

5. — Natural  curiosities,  cabinets  of  minerals,  woods, 
birds  and  insects,  a  microscope,  a  telescope,  various  kinds  of 
philosophic  apparatus,  models  of  machinery,  or  a  collection 
of  coins  and  curios  from  other  lands,  perhaps  illustrating 
ancient  life  especially  in  Bible  times,  Avould  be  both  in- 
structive and  pleasing. 

6. — Discrimination  is  made  in  favor  of  games  of  skill, 
and  against  those  whose  history  or  associations  render 
them  objectionable.  Chess  and  checkers  are  among  the 
most  common.  These  amusements  attract  many  to  the 
rooms,  and  their  use  under  the  supervision  accorded  by  the 
Associations  has  seemed  to  have  real  value.  Cautions  are 
needed.     What  may  be  a  healthful  relaxation  should  not 


Chap.  2G,  C,  3.      the  social  department.  345 

extend  to  a  waste  of  time.  An  emploj^e  should  seldom  play, 
except  for  a  purpose — to  entertain  a  stranger  or  to  get  ac- 
quainted with  an  associate  member.  And  this  rule  maj?- 
apply  in  a  large  measure  to  the  active  members  on  duty. 
Professional  or  habitual  players  should  never  be  permitted 
to  monopolize  the  games.  The  privilege  of  the  recreation 
room  is  usually  confined  to  members  and  their  invited 
guests.  It  is  desirable  to  have  the  games  apart  from  the 
library  and  reading  room,  but  always  within  easy  super- 
vision. This  department  must  not  be  made  too  prominent, 
nor  allowed  to  interfere  with  more  important  things.  (As 
an  illustration  of  methods  see  "  Chess  and  checker  club 
rules,"  appendix,  sample  No.  45.) 


SECTION  C. 

SOCIAL    ENTERTAINMENTS. 

1. — In  addition  to  the  everyday  social  life,  certain  oc- 
casional features  are  introduced  in  the  way  of  social  gather- 
ings. These  have  in  view  several  objects  :  (a)  The  social 
enjoyment  of  the  members,  (b)  A  more  thorough  acquaint- 
ance, especially  as  regards  the  new  members,  (c)  An  op- 
portunity to  introduce  non-members  and  give  them  such  a 
glimpse  of  the  society  as  may  lead  to  their  joining  it. 
(c?)An  occasion  when  information  and  instruction  about 
the  work  can  be  given  the  members,  (e)  A  chance  for 
personal  effort  in  any  desired  direction. 

2. — The  most  important  of  these  gatherings  is  the  mem- 
bers' meeting  or  reception  ;  for  full  description  see  chapter 
9,  H. 

3. — Other  forms  of  the  social  recej^tion  will  not  differ 
materially  from  this,  except  that  the  reports  and  details  of 
work  will  be  largely  omitted.  These  entertainments  are 
often  given  in  compliment  to  some  particular  class  or 
trade,— to  clerks  in  mercantile  houses,  to  young  men  of  the 


346  fHE   SOCIAL  DEPARTMENT.        Chap.  26,  C,  4. 

manufacturing  orotlier  industries,  to  students,  postal  clerks, 
railroad  men,  policemen,  firemen,  etc.  In  a  large  town  in- 
vitations for  an  evening  would  have  to  be  limited  to  certain 
establishments  or  districts. 

4.  The  parlor  social  is  an  informal  gathering  of  young 
men,  for  conversation  and  music.  Fruit,  nuts,  or  other 
light  refreshments  may  be  served  according  to  the  season. 
"  Camp  fires,"  at  which  summer  vacation  experiences,  etc., 
are  related,  are  very  popular.  An  open  wood-fire  lends  an 
added  charm. 

5. — A  strangers'  reception  is  sometimes  held,  invitations 
being  sent  to  new  members  and  young  men  who  have  re- 
cently come  to  the  city.  Members  of  the  reception  com- 
mittee should  be  present. 

5. — The  committee  tea  may  include  one  or  more  of  the 
committees,  gathered  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  or 
stimulating  the  work.  Provide  room  for  all,  and  follow  the 
tea  by  an  informal  conference  about  the  table. 

7.  The  New  Year's  reception  has  been  for  many  years 
a  feature  of  the  social  work.  Often  ladies  assist  in  receiv- 
ing, and  arrange  for  "  open  house  "  during  the  afternoon 
and  evening.  Besides  refreshments,  it  is  customary  to 
provide  good  music,  and  perhaps  other  entertainments, 
especially  for  the  evening.  An  Association  recently  issued 
a  tasteful  invitation,  giving,  besides  the  onenu,  a  program 
with  a  change  of  entertainment  for  every  half  hour  from 
eight  to  ten  o'clock.  A  dinner  is  given  by  some  Associa- 
tions, usually  with  the  help  of  the  ladies,  to  members  and 
other  young  men  who  are  known  to  be  away   from   home. 

Every  public  or  national  holiday,  when  young  men  are 
free  from  their  regular  occupations,  is  a  day  of  special 
temptation  to  them  and  of  special  opportunity  to  the  Asso- 
ciation, particularly  in  its  social  department.  Forms  of 
entertainment  will  vary  with  the  season  of  the  year. 

The  rooms  should  never  be  closed  on  such  days,  when 
they  are  most  needed  and  appreciated.  The  employes 
should  find  other  times  for  their  own  holidays. 


Chap.  26,  C,  9.      the  social  department.  34'j? 

8. — The  interest  of  the  social  gatherings  will  be  greatl}^ 
enlianced  by  good  music.  Every  Association  should  en- 
deavor to  cultivate  the  musical  talent  of  its  young  men, 
even  at  considerable  expense.  A  male  chorus,  with  a 
quartet  and,  if  possible,  an  orchestra,  will  be  helpful.  The 
musical  gifts  of  the  ladies  should  be  drawn  upon  as  occa- 
sion may  warrant,  also  the  literary  and  elocutionary  talent 
of  the  community.  A  wide-awake  chairman  will  see  that 
every  available  force  is  brought  out  and  marshalled  for 
service  on  this  important  department  of  activity. 

9. — Perhaps  greater  caution  is  required  in  the  social  de- 
partment than  in  any  other,  that  nothing  be  permitted  in 
connection  with,  or  for  the  benefit  of,  the  Association  that 
is  not  in  accord  with  the  best  Christian  sentiment  of  the 
community.  Here,  as  always,  the  organization  should 
keep  in  close  and  loyal  sympathy  with  the  evangelical 
churches.  Nor  should  just  offence  be  given  to  any  body 
of  people,  as  has  been  done  sometimes,  for  example,  by 
holding  athletic  games  on  Decoration  Day. 


CHAPTER  27. 

THE   INFORMATION  AND  RELIEF   DEPARTMENT* 


SECTION  A. 

THE  BOARDING-HOUSE  BUREAU. 

1. — The  work  of  directing  young  men  to  suitable  board- 
ing-places has  been  carried  on  from  the  first  by  some  of 
the  leading  Associations.! 

2. — Reasons  for  so  doing  are  : 

(a)  The  chief  patrons  of  boarding-houses  are  young 
men. 

{b)  A  mutually  helpful  relation  is  established  between 
these  places  and  the  Association. 

c)  Young  men  coming  into  a  town  are  brought  at 
once  into  contact  with  the  Association,  their  first  necessity 
being  a  home. 

(d)  The  men  who  receive  information  about  homes 
pervaded  with  good  social  and  moral  influences  are  fav- 
orably impressed  and  put  under  certain  obligations. 

3. — The  first  requisite  of  the  work  is  a  committee.  Its 
members  should  possess  insight,  courtesy,  and  tact,  to  which 
may  well  be  added  a  personal  boarding-house  experience. 
This  committee  should  thoroughly  inspect  the  premises  of 

*  This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  64. 

t  A  circular  issued  by  the  Boston  Association  in  1852,  soon  after  its  organization, 
contained  the  following:  ' '  We  intend  to  make  this  Association  a  social  organization 
of  those  in  whom  the  love  of  Clirist  has  produced  love  to  men,  who  shall  meet  the 
young  stranger  as  he  enters  our  city,  take  him  by  the  hand,  and  direct  him  to  a 
boarding-place  where  he  may  find  a  quiet  home  pervaded  with  Christian  influ- 
ences." 


Chap.  27,  A,  5.    information  and  relief.  349 

each  applicant  for  patronage,  and  also  by  personal  inquiry 
become  fully  satisfied  as  to  the  character  and  desirability 
of  each  place.  Inquiries  may  be  made  of  a  pastor,  of  pres- 
ent or  former  boarders,  and  of  neighboring  tradesmen. 
Some  ver}'-  embarrassing  mistakes  have  taught  the  necessity 
of  great  care  in  these  matters. 

4. — A  second  requisite  is  the  register,  in  which  a  list  of 
boarding-places,  classified  generally  by  different  sections  of 
the  city,  is  kept  for  reference.  There  should  be  space  to 
state  all  needed  facts,  also  the  number  and  class  of  vacan- 
cies at  a  given  date.  Frequent  revision  will  be  necessary 
to  keep  this  register  fresh  and  trustworthy.  If  intended 
for  public  inspection,  private  memoranda  may  be  entered 
in  cipher  or  kept  in  another  book.  Application  blanks  for 
boarders  are  sometimes  sent  out  statedly  to  boarding-house 
keepers,  to  be  used  as  needed.  Labor  may  be  saved  by 
fastening  these  original  blanks  in  a  letter  file  with  adhe- 
sive stubs  and  using  this  as  the  register.  But  in  this  case 
the  book  with  its  private  notes  must  never  pass  into  the 
hands  of  persons  seeking  board.  All  information  must  be 
furnished  them  by  a  representative  of  the  Association.  As 
such  intercourse  with  young  men,  many  of  whom  are 
strangers  to  the  Association,  offers  a  special  opportunity  to 
make  their  acquaintance  and  invite  them  to  other  privileges, 
it  is  very  desirable.  A  few  Associations  are  using  the  card 
catalogue  method  instead  of  a  book  register.  A  deposit  of 
fifty  cents  is  sometimes  required  from  each  applicant  for 
boarders,  which  is  refunded  when  the  vacancy  is  reported 
as  filled.  The  object  in  view  is  to  insure  promptness  in 
such  reports,  so  that  young  men  looking  for  homes  need 
not  make  fruitless  calls. 

5. — ^Whenever  opportunity  offers,  the  committee  and 
secretary  may  well  caution  young  men  against  the  tend- 
ency to  hire  lodgings  and  take  their  meals  at  restaurants  or 
houses  giving  table  board.  Even  where  the  social  influ- 
ence of  a  boarding-house  is  slight,  the  boarder  is  regarded 
in  some  measure  as  a  member  of  the  family  and  is  looked 


350  INFORMATION  AND  RELIEF.     Chap.  37,  A,  6. 

after  when  sick.  In  lodgings  no  home  influence  exists,  and 
the  young  man  leads  a  life  of  isolation  and  is  more  tempted 
to  seek  female  society  of  a  debasing  sort. 

6. — Although  it  may  not  be  expedient  to  exclude  from  the 
register  any  respectable  house,  yet  in  directing  young  men 
to  homes  a  decided  preference  should  be  given  to  those 
tliat  are  Christian,  and  it  need  hardly  be  said  that  no  place 
should  be  knowingly  retained  on  the  list  where  good 
character  is  not  made  a  test  of  admission.  Memoranda 
should  be  kept  of  2:)ersons  directed  to  boarding-places,  and 
of  any  interesting  facts  connected  with  the  work. 

v. — It  should  be  thoroughly  understood  that  the  Associa- 
tion is  in  no  manner  responsible  for  the  character  and  con- 
duct of  persons  directed  to  boarding-houses.  When  the 
parties  are  personally  known,  or  bring  satisfactory  refer- 
ences to  the  secretary,  he  will  furnish  them  with  a  special 
note  of  introduction. 

8. — A  boarding-house  keeper  will  usually  be  willing  to 
reciprocate  favors  received.  The  Association  directory, 
neatly  framed,  may  be  hung  in  the  house;  or  a  card  invit- 
ing to  the  Association  rooms  and  meetings,  and  stating 
that  any  sick  young  man  will  be  visited  upon  notification, 
may  be  placed  in  each  sleeping  room.  Such  cards  are  also 
sometimes  placed  in  hotels.  (See  section  D  of  this 
chapter).  Postal  card  blanks  may  also  be  left  at  each  house 
upon  which  may  be  reported  the  names  of  new  comers 
from  other  sources  than  the  Association.  This  will  be  spe- 
cially helpful  to  the  invitation  committee. 

9. — An  Association  undertaking  this  class  of  work  should 
do  it  well.  Every  efficient  bureau  will  tend  to  popularize 
the  system  and  the  Association,  especially  among  the  large 
body  of  young  men  who  are  more  or  less  frequently  chang- 
ing their  places  of  residence.  (See  appendix,  samples  Nos. 
46  and  47,  "Boarding-house  application  and  register"). 


Chap.  27,  B,  4.    information  and  relief.  351 

SECTION    B. 

THE  EMPLOYMENT  BUREAU. 

1. — Statistics  of  this  work  appear  first  in  the  Report  of 
tlie  International  Convention  of  1875,  when  thirty-five 
Associations  engaged  in  it.  In  the  Year  Book  for  1891, 
11,276  situations  are  reported  as  secured  by  348  Associa- 
tions. A  study  of  these  figures  with  those  of  the  inter- 
vening years  shows,  first,  that  a  much  larger  proportion  of 
the  Associations  than  formerly  are  incorpoi'ating  this 
agenc}'  into  their  work,  and,  second,  that  its  success  evi- 
dently depends  more  upon  methods  than  upon  the  size  of 
the  place.  There  is  no  reason  why  it  may  not  be  a 
useful  feature  in  every  city.  It  would  seem  possible  for 
the  system  to  be  so  extended  and  perfected  as  to  become 
the  most  2)opular  and  reliable  medium  of  communication 
between  employers  and  young  men  seeking  employment, 
and  to  a  considerable  extent  the  means  of  preventing  in- 
dustrious young  men  from  lapsing  into  destitution.  But 
this  would  involve  a  much  larger  expenditure  of  money  on 
this  department  than  the  Associations  have  as  yet  deemed 
practicable. 

2. — The  means  required  for  the  prosecution  of  this  work 
are  a  committee,  methods  of  advertising,  and  a  plan  for 
obtaining  and  keeping  a  record  of  facts  concerning  the 
character  and  capabilities  of  applicants.  Much  of  the  de- 
tail work  must  usually  be  done  by  an  employed  agent  of 
the  Association. 

3. — The  committee  is  usually  composed  of  business  men, 
those  with  experience  as  employers  and  with  a  reputation 
for  good  judgment  being  secured,  if  possible.  It  is  custom- 
ary to  fix  a  portion  of  each  day,  or  of  stated  days  of  the 
week,  at  which  applicants  may  meet  the  committee  or  its 
agent. 

4. — Various  blanks  are  necessary  ;  one  to  be  filled  out 
by  the  applicant,  another  by  his  references — usually  former 


352  INFORMATION  AND  RELIEF.      Chap.  27,  B,  5. 

employers,  and  others  to  be  used  in  soliciting  patronage,  in 
routine  correspondence,  etc.  (See  appendix,  samples  Nos. 
48-54). 

5. — It  should  be  made  very  clear  that  the  Association 
does  not  recommend  aj^plicants  or  assume  any  responsibility 
regarding  them,  but  that  it  simply  offers  for  the  inspection 
of  employers  the  references  which  it  has  collected  con- 
cerning them. 

6. — A  record  book  is  needed,  or  a  simpler  and  more  de- 
sirable plan  is  to  use  a  letter  file  with  adhesive  stubs  in 
which  the  application  blanks  themselves  can  be  preserved. 
The  recorded  facts  should  be  as  full  as  possible  ;  some 
of  them  will  be  required  by  employers,  and  others  will  be 
useful  in  the  statistical  reports  of  the  work.  A  "  Graves 
Printed  Index,"  for  sale  by  Hall  &  McChesney,  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.,  is  specially  valuable  in  keeping  a  list  of  applicants 
for  employment  and  memoranda  concerning  them. 

7. — Applications  from  employers  are  kept  in  like  manner, 
and  in  connection  with  each  entry  may  be  given  the  names 
of  those  sent  in  response,  with  memoranda  of  results. 

8. — The  success  of  this  work  in  any  locality  will  depend, 
as  before  stated,  almost  entirely  upon  methods, — on  the  sys- 
tem, energy,  and  judgment  of  the  committee.  An  aptitude 
at  reading  character,  with  care  in  securing  and  examining 
references,  should  result  in  putting  the  right  men  in  the 
right  places  and  in  rendering  the  bureau  a  popular  and 
reliable  agency. 


SECTION  C. 

THE  SAVINGS  BUREAU    AND  BENEFIT  FUND. 

1. — During  the  past  few  years  an  increasing  number  of 
Associations  have  been  urging  upon  their  members,  espe- 
cially upon  the  younger  ones,  the  importance  of  acquiring 
early  in  life  a  habit  of  systematically  saving  a  part  of  their 


Chap.  27,  D.  INFORMATION   AND  RELIEF.  353 

earnings.  Arrangements  are  generally  made  to  co-operate 
with  some  reliable  savings  bank  by  receiving  from  members 
at  stated  times,  monthly,  weekly,  or  oftener,  smaller  sums 
than  would  generally  be  deposited  directly  in  the  bank,  and 
often  at  hours  when  the  bank  is  closed.  These  are  passed 
over  to  the  bank,  to  be  credited  to  the  account  of  the  de- 
positor. (See  '^Savings  bureau  rules,"  appendix,  sample 
No.  55). 

2. — A  demand  for  the  help  derived  from  membership  in 
mutual  benefit  societies  in  the  event  of  sickness  or  death 
has  recently  led  a  few  Associations  to  undertake  some  work 
in  this  line  among  their  members. 


SECTION  D. 

VISITING    THE    SICK. 

A  verj^  practical  feature  in  Association  work  is  a  com- 
mittee for  the  visitation  of  the  sick,  including,  if  possible, 
one  or  more  Christian  physicians.  Young  men  absent  from 
home  and  sick  are  peculiarly  exposed  to  discomfort  and 
even  danger,  from  lack  of  suitable  medical  attention  and 
friendly  care.  The  Association  volunteers  its  kindly  offices 
in  these  cases  of  need.  Physicians  are  often  asked  to 
direct  it  to  those  in  need  of  its  help.  (See  samj^le  letter 
and  reply  card,  aj^pendix,  sample  No.  56.)  Friendly  calls, 
watching  or  providing  professional  nurses,  securing  needed 
medicines  and  delicacies  which  might  not  otherwise  be 
obtained,  communicating  with  absent  relatives  when  desir- 
able, and  furnishing  reading  and  companionshij?  during 
convalescence,  are  among  the  duties  of  such  a  committee, 
and  afford  opportunities  for  doing  good  to  both  body  and 
soul.  Some  Associations  have  wisely  arranged  for  the  use 
of  one  or  more  hospital  beds.  Others  have  organized  medi- 
cal clubs  among  their  members,  which,  on  the  payment  of 
a  small  fee,  guarantee  the  attendance  of  a  competent  phy- 


354  INFORMATION  AND  RELIEF.      Chap.  27,  E,  1. 

sician,  when  needed.  In  the  event  of  the  death  of  a 
young  man  away  from  home  and  friends,  the  Association 
often  takes  charge  of  tlie  funeral  arrangements.  When  the 
services  are  held  at  the  Association  rooms,  impressions  for 
good  may  be  made  upon  young  men  who  are  present. 
Some  Associations  have  secured  cemetery  lots  for  the 
burial  of  strangers. 


SECTION   E. 

RELIEVING  DESTITUTE  YOUNG  MEN. 

1. — Persons  in  trouble  and  destitution  often  apply  for 
help  at  our  rooms.  Remembering  the  example  of  our 
gracious  Lord,  all  such  should  be  kindly  met,  their  cases 
carefully  examined  in  order  to  learn  their  real  needs,  and 
they  should  be  directed  where  and  how  to  seek  the  aid  they 
require.  To  assist  him  in  these  efforts  the  secretary  should 
become  familiar  with  all  the  agencies  that  relieve  the  des- 
titute, both  male  and  female,  and  with  the  names  of  their 
officers. 

2. — The  Association  will  confine  its  active  work  in  this 
line  to  young  men.  While  investigation  will  show  some 
men  to  be  worthy,  whom  it  is  a  pleasure  to  assist,  experi- 
ence shows  that  the  majority  of  those  who  come  to  the 
Association  for  money,  or  its  equivalent,  are  impostors  ; 
especially  those  who  preface  their  importunities  by  attend- 
ance and  seeming  interest  at  religious  services,  or  by  a 
story  of  former  church  or  Association  membership.  Many 
of  them  are  well  informed  regarding  Association  matters, 
and  talk  glibly  of  prominent  workers  in  other  cities,  some 
of  whom  they  have  doubtless  met  "  professionally."  The 
pleas  of  a  lost  j^ocket-book,  a  sick  friend  to  whose  bedside 
they  have  been  called,  well-to-do  relatives  or  expected  em- 
ployment in  some  other  city,  and  similar  stories  are  the 
stock  in  trade  of  large  numbers  who  attempt  to  work  their 


Chap.  27,  E,  5.    information  and  relief.  355 

way  along  the  leading  thoroughfares  by  imposition,  and  of 
whom  the  Associations  get  their  full  share. 

Money  should  seldom,  if  ever,  be  given;  but,  instead, 
orders  for  meals,  lodgings,  or  whatever  is  necessary.  The 
secretary  cannot  undertake  even  this  work  from  his  private 
purse,  and  it  is  not  desirable  to  have  an  Association  fund 
for  the  purpose,  as  a  little  ill-judged  giving  will  fill  the 
rooms  with  beggars.  It  is  better  to  have  a  few  friends 
who  can  be  called  upon  in  cases  of  real  emergency.  The 
telegraph  may  sometimes  be  used  to  decide  a  doubt,  where 
the  importance  of  the  case  warrants. 

3. — In  the  largest  cities  there  are  always  many  young  men 
out  of  employment  and  often  temporarily  in  destitution. 
As  it  has  been  found  impracticable  to  carry  on  any  ex- 
tended work  for  such  men  in  connection  with  the  general 
Association,  special  branches  have  been  organized  in  a  few 
instances  for  this  purpose,  having  the  needed  appliances, 
and  in  charge  of  persons  possessing  tact  and  experience  in 
this  line  of  work. 

4. — The  idea  formerly  prevailed  that  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  included  among  its  duties  every  kind 
of  Christian  effort,  and  in  some  instances  a  general  relief 
work,  perhaps  in  connection  with  mission  Sunday-schools, 
was  made  a  prominent  feature.  All  this  is  now  considered 
entirely  outside  the  scope  of  Association  work,  the  only 
possible  exceptions  being  occasions  of  calamity,  or  severe 
financial  depression,  when  it  is  the  duty  of  every  humane 
and  Christian  organization  to  enter  heartily  into  any  proper 
schemes  for  the  public  welfare. 

5. — The  indiscriminate  use  of  the  Association  address  in 
sending  and  receiving  mail  matter  should  not  be  allowed. 
Undesirable  matter  coming  to  the  care  of  an  Association 
should  be  returned  to  the  post-ofiice.  The  Association 
letterheads  and  envelopes  should  not  be  used  by  strangers. 
Plain  stationery  is  now  generally  furnished  to  them,  which 
is  better  than  a  special  form  containing  the  words  "  Pub- 
lic Correspondence  Table." 


OHAFTER.  28. 
THE  BOYS'  DEPARTMENT* 


SECTION  A. 

HISTORICAL    ITEMS. 

1. — The  following  statistics  indicate  the  development  of 
this  work.  The  first  figures  appear  in  the  Year  Book  for 
1874,  when  three  Associations  report  religious  meetings  for 
boys.  (The  statistics  in  each  Year  Book  represent  the 
work  of  the  preceding  calendar  year).  In  1877  this  num- 
ber had  grown  to  eighteen.  The  Year  Book  for  1880  dis- 
tinguishes for  the  first  time  between  the  religious  and 
secular  departments.  Forty-eight  Associations  report  : 
twenty-seven  religious  work  only,  fifteen  secular,  and  six 
both.  At  Atlanta,  in  1885,  the  subject  was  first  brought 
before  an  International  Convention.  Of  the  144  Associa- 
tions reporting  to  this  convention,  129  were  doing  religious 
and  116  secular  work,  showing  a  large  majority  engaged  in 
both.  For  the  following  year  only  148  Associations  re- 
ported ;  but  the  table  shows  twelve  varieties  of  work,  from 
one  to  eight  or  nine  in  each  Association;  an  average  of 
nearly  four  varieties;  and  a  total  aggregate  of  541.  Five 
years  later  190  Associations  reported  organized  boys' 
branches,  and,  in  addition  to  this,  a  number  of  Associations 
hold  meetings  for  boys,  or  grant  them  certain  privileges. 
In  1887  the  topic,  "  The  province  and  best  methods  of  work 
for    boys   in    the   Young   Men's   Christian  Association," 

*  This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  65. 


Chap.  28,  B,  1.  work  for  boys.  357 

brought  this  subject  again  before  the  convention.  At 
Philadelphia,  1889,  a  parlor  conference  of  delegates  inter- 
ested in  this  work  was  first  held  in  connection  with  an  in- 
ternational gathering. 

2. — In  1885  a  caref'ul  observer  gave  the  following  as 
characteristics  of  this  work  :  instability  ;  wide  diversity 
in  aim;  equal  diversity  as  to  methods;  lack  of  uniformity 
in  name,  organization,  and  age  limit;  and  a  tendency 
towards  definite  religious  effort;  the  last  being  the  only 
favorable  symptom  revealed  by  the  diagnosis.  A  compar- 
ison of  the  Year  Books  for  1888  and  1889  shows  an  increase 
of  four  in  the  number  of  Associations  reporting  this  branch 
of  work;  but  57  report  it  in  1889  that  did  not  report  it  the 
previous  year,  while  53  reporting  it  in  1888  do  not  report 
it  in  1889.  In  no  other  department  are  there  at  present  so 
many  changes,  which  is  no  doubt  due  largely  to  crude  and 
ill  defined  plans  and  methods.  And  yet  the  record  of  early 
work  in  other  departments  would  probably  be  similar,  if 
equally  careful  reports  had  then  been  compiled.  Where 
the  work  is  on  a  good  basis  as  to  aim  and  organization,  it 
is  marked  by  stability,  progress,  and  good  results. 


SECTION  B. 


1. — So  rapid  nowadays  is  the  transition  from  boyhood 
to  young  manhood — seeming  to  occur  earlier  and  earlier  in 
life — and  so  great  the  number,  power,  and  activity  of  evil 
influences,  that  to  neglect  the  boy  may  easily  place  the 
young  man  beyond  our  reach.  In  fact  work  for  the  two 
seems  so  closely  allied  that  it  is  impossible  to  tell  just 
where  the  one  ends  and  the  other  begins.  If  every  boy 
had  a  good  home  and  could  be  kept  there,  perhaps  there 
would  be  little  call  for  this  distinctive  work  ;  for  the  longer 
a  boy  is  contented  to  pass  his  leisure  hours  within  the  refi- 


35S  WORK  FOR  BOTS.  Chap.  28,  B,  k 

iiing  and  restraining  atmosphere  of  a  Christian  home  the 
better.  But  abnormal  domestic  conditions  exist  to  an 
alarming  extent  in  many  nominal  homes,  especially  in 
cities;  business  and  society  so  absorb  the  time  and  thought 
of  parents  that  suitable  home  attractions  are  not  provided 
for  the  boy,  his  social  life  is  neglected,  and  he  is  too  often 
left  to  do  and  go  much  as  he  pleases.  And  many  boys  have 
no  home.  All  these  boys  need  protection  from  temptation 
and  evil  habits,  and  the  development  of  their  entire  nat- 
ures. But  the  so-called  street  boys  need  first  to  be 
"  civilized, "  perhaps  fed  and  clothed,  and  in  a  score  of 
ways  helped  toward  a  better  life.  It  has  been  fully  de- 
monstrated that  work  in  behalf  of  these  two  classes  of 
boys  cannot  be  carried  on  together.  If  in  any  case  an 
Association  is  able  to  undertake  both  forms  of  effort,  they 
should  not  only  be  distinct  from  each  other,  but,  if  possi- 
ble, conducted  in  different  places.  The  industrial  training 
school,  in  connection  with  moral  and  religious  instruction, 
is  perhaps  the  best  appliance  with  which  to  reach  and  up- 
lift the  lower  class. 

While  it  is  unsafe  to  mix  together  in  this  work  boys  of 
widely  different  moral  grades,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
moral  and  social  lines  are  by  no  means  parallel.  There  are 
good  boys  among  the  poorest,  and  these  should  be  drawn 
in  without  the  least  reference  to  their  social  position. 
There  are  also  some  of  higher  social  standing  that  should 
be  excluded.  As  has  been  said  by  an  experienced  worker, 
a  natural  rowdy  will  rule  or  ruin,  and  in  this  work  he  must 
not  be  allowed  to  do  either.  The  influence  of  a  rowdy  of 
good  social  position  is  especially  mischievous. 

2. — This  work  aims  to  supply  the  needs  of  the  boy  na- 
ture that  may  otherwise  be  left  uncared  for,  and  that  run 
quite  parallel  with  those  of  the  young  man  along  spiritual, 
mental,  physical,  and  social  lines.  The  work  of  pre- 
vention— the  exclusion  of  evil  habits  and  tastes  by  preoc- 
cupying the  mind  and  heart  with  that  which  is  good — has 
its  best  chance  with  the  boy;  and  the  stre-ngth  and  devel- 


Chap.  28,  C,  2.  WORK  FOR  BOYS.  359 

opment  of  Christian  character  and  efficiency  often  depend 
largely  npon  the  age  at  which  the  training  begins.  The 
testimony  is  already  common  that  many  of  the  best  workers 
in  the  Association  come  from  the  boys'  department.  Boys 
are  more  approachable,  more  easily  won,  more  willing  to 
do;  and  beginning  active  Christian  effort  early  they  ac- 
quire confidence  and  tact,  and  escape  as  they  grow  up  much 
of  the  diffidence  and  awkwardness  that  is  so  embarrassing 
to  many  who  undertake  it  later.  In  a  word,  "  We  have 
boys'  work  for  the  same  reason  that  you  do  not  wait  until 
a  boy  is  twenty-one  before  you  send  him  to  school." 


SECTION  C. 

ORGANIZATION. 

1. — Two  methods  have  been  chiefly  used  hitherto:  {a) 
a  committee  appointed  by  the  board  has  the  direct  man- 
agement, perhaps  leaving  details  somewhat  to  committees 
composed  partly  of  boys;  or  {b)  under  a  similar  committee 
the  boys  are  systematically  organized,  with  by-laws,  officers, 
committees,  etc.  The  former  plan  is  much  the  wiser. 
With  the  latter  the  machinery  may  easily  become  to  the 
boys  of  more  consequence  than  the  work.  It  is  not  safe  to 
give  the  boys  full  voice  in  the  selection  of  officers  and 
other  business  matters,  even  where  the  committee  has  veto 
power,  as  should  always  be  the  case. 

2. — There  is  a  growing  sentiment  that  the  work  for  boys 
should  have  a  more  intimate  connection  with  the  other 
work  of  the  Association  than  has  been  common  in  the  past. 
This  may  be  accomplished  by  placing  it  in  charge  of  a 
boys'  department  committee,  one  or  more  members  of 
which  are,  if  practicable,  members  of  the  board  of  direc- 
tors (See  Chap.  8,  C,  and  D,  9).  It  need  hardly  be  said 
that  these  men  should  all  have  a  hearty  interest  in  this  line 
of  effort  and  one  or  more  of  them,  who  can  devote  consid- 


360  WORK  FOR  Bots.  Chap.  28,  C,  2. 

erable  time  to  it,  should  be  natural  leaders  among  boys, 
especially  where  it  is  not  expected  to  employ  a  paid  agent 
for  this  purpose.  It  is  unsafe  to  begin  boys'  work  without 
at  least  one  such  leader. 

Each  sub-division  of  the  boys'  department  may  be  under 
the  direction  of  a  sub-committee  of  the  committee  just 
mentioned.  One  member  of  each  sub-committee  may  also  be 
made  a  member  of  the  corresponding  department  commit- 
tee of  the  Association.  For  example,  the  same  member  of 
the  Association  would  thus  be  on  the  boys'  department 
committee  and  on  its  educational  sub -committee  (probably 
as  its  chairman),  and  also  on  the  educational  department 
committee  of  the  Association.  Such  a  plan  should  pro- 
mote harmony  between  all  proposed  efforts  among  the  boys 
and  the  young  men.  * 

If  an  Association  is  ready  to  undertake  only  one  or  two 
sub-divisions  of  boys'  work,  this  plan  can  easily  be  adapted 
to  such  conditions,  and,  at  the  same  time,  be  a  constant 
reminder  of  the  desirability  of  extending  the  work  as  soon 
as  practicable.  But  the  strength  of  the  Association  and  of 
its  work  for  young  men  should  always  be  in  advance  of  its 
boys'  work,  so  that  the  latter  may  be  simply  a  department 
—  not  a  central  feature. 

*  The  following  full  scheme  of  organization  is  suggested  by  one  of  the  Associa- 
tions. 

COMMITTEE  OF  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  ON  BOYs''  WORK, — three  members  designated 
as  A  (chairman  of  this  committee),  B,  C. 

EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE, — SBveu  members,  designated  as  A  (chairman  of  the  de- 
partment), and  B,  C,  D,  H,  K,  O,  (chairmen  of  six  sub-committees). 

suB-coMMiTTEES  OP  THE  DEPARTMENT,  —  active  members  of  the  Association, 
whose  duties  may  be  "  doubled  up  "  when  so  many  men  cannot  be  secured. 

1. 


Finance 

B, 

Chairman. 

Membership 

C, 

Chairman. 

Religious  ivork 

D, 

Chairman. 

Meetings 

E, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Training  classes 

F, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Invitation 

G, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Educational  work 

H, 

Chairman. 

Library  and  reading  room 

I 

Chairman. 

Literary  society 

Chairman. 

Social  work 

K, 

Chairman. 

Reception 

L, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Entertainment 

M, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Members'  meeting 

N, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Plujsical  work 

o, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Gymnasium 

P, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Outing  Club 

Q, 

Chairman  and  boy  members. 

Chap.  28,  D,  1.  WORK  FOR  BOYS.  361 

As  much  responsibility  as  seems  wise  should  be  laid 
upon  the  boys  themselves  as  members  of  sub-committees, 
leaders  of  meetings,  etc. 

If  such  a  department  has  a  membership,  there  should  be 
two  classes, with  the  same  active  test  as  in  the  Association. 
Fees  range  from  none  at  all  to  fifty  cents  and  one  dollar. 
Additional  fees  are  charged  for  fuller  privileges.  The  best 
sentiment  excludes  all  boys  under  twelve  years  of  age,  and 
confines  evening  admission  to  those  over  fourteen.  Like 
the  lower  grades  in  the  city  schools,  the  juniors  should  be 
considered  an  essential  factor  in  the  institution,  and  be 
taught  to  look  forward  to  promotion  into  membership  in 
the  Association  as  a  natural  and  expected  result.  This 
usually  occurs  at  sixteen,  but  those  who  prefer  to  do  so  are 
sometimes  allowed  to  remain  members  of  the  boys'  depart- 
ment until  they  are  eighteen. 

Where  the  work  has  been  in  existence  for  any  length  of 
time,  junior  graduates  into  the  Association  will  naturally 
find  a  place  on  the  boys'  department  committee. 

The  term  boys'  section  is  sometimes  used  instead  of 
department. 


SECTION  D. 

METHODS. 

1. — Separate  apartments  are  very  desirable.  If  practic- 
able there  should  be  a  separate  entrance,  especially  if  the 
younger  boys  are  admitted.  A  single  room  may  answer 
for  reading,  recreation,  and  meetings,  but  two  or  three  will 
be  much  better.  If  the  scheme  of  the  Association  does 
not  provide  for  the  presence  of  a  committeeman  or  secre- 
tary during  the  hours  that  these  rooms  are  in  use,  they 
sliould  be  so  placed  that  the  secretary  can  command  a  view 
of  them  from  his  desk  through  a  glazed  door  or  window. 
The  rooms  will  usually  be  open  in  the  afternoons  and  early 


36^  WORK  FOR  BOYS.  Chap.  28,  J),  2. 

evenings.  Some  Associations  employ  an  assistant  espec- 
ially for  the  boys'  work,  who  certainly  has  a  wide  and 
important  field. 

When  separate  accommodations  cannot  be  had,  those 
who  have  the  tact  to  succeed  under  difficulties  may  still 
do  something.  A  corner  of  the  reading  room  may  be  given 
the  boys  at  certain  hours  of  the  day,  and  an  evening  hour 
may  be  found  during  the  week  for  a  boys'  meeting  in  the  par- 
lor or  lecture-room.  But  the  boyish  habit  of  sauntering 
about  the  rooms  should  not  be  permitted,  nor  anything 
else  likely  to  drive  out  the  young  men. 

2. — The  suggestions  made  in  chapter  14,  D,  regarding 
furniture  and  general  equipment,  apply  to  the  boys'  rooms. 
The  papering,  painting,  and  carpeting  of  a  room  have  been 
known  to  revolutionize  the  manners  of  the  entire  boy 
membership. 

3. — There  is  no  wiser  way  to  begin  this  kind  of  effort 
than  to  collect  a  few  Christian  boys  into  a  Bible  or  train- 
ing class,  and  there  teach  them  the  need,  the  possibili- 
ties, the  difficulties,  and  the  true  spirit  of  the  work.  If 
they  can  be  led  to  such  an  appreciative  love  for  it  as  will 
impel  them  to  activity,  the  best  results  will  follow, — 
other  boys  will  be  brought  into  the  class,  some  will  be  led 
to  Christ,  and  the  way  will  open  naturally  for  the  intro- 
duction of  additional  agencies. 

4. — The  religious  work  should  hold  a  prominent  place. 
Meetings  should  be  as  informal  as  possible,  largely  con- 
versational, and  often  a  combination  of  the  Bible  class 
with  the  song  and  j^rayer  service.  Such  a  flexible  meeting 
can  readily  be  adapted  to  the  age  and  class  of  those  in  at- 
tendance. For  the  younger  boys,  it  will  be  held  in  the 
daytime  or  early  in  the  evening.  With  the  older  Cliristian 
boys  a  workers'  training  class  is  a  necessity.  Much  good 
may  also  be  done  by  judicious  instruction  regarding  such 
practical  matters  as  total  abstinence,  personal  purity,  the 
gambling  habit,  etc.,  teaching  the  boys  how  to  avoid  the 
first  steps  to  the  prevailing  vices,  and  especially  fortifying 


Chap.  S8,  D.  5.  Work  for  boys.  36B 

their  minds  against  them  by  religious  truth.  Every  one 
of  the  various  agencies  employed  should  have  a  constant 
tendency  and  aim  to  develop  the  boys'  moral  and  spiritual 
nature,  which  is  far  more  receptive  and  plastic  than  it  will 
be  only  a  few  years  later. 

When  the  average  boy  gets  interested  in  anything,  he 
wants  to  help.  Advantage  should  be  taken  of  this  dis- 
position, not  only  for  the  real  good  he  may  do,  but  in  order 
to  keep  up  his  interest  and  teach  him  to  do  Christian  work. 
Work  in  connection  with  the  invitation  committee,  the 
distribution  of  religious  literature,  and  a  score  of  other 
things  may  be  given  him.  Personal  effort  among  his  compan- 
ions should  be  emphasized,  and  perhaps  may  be  stimulated 
by  asking  for  systematic  reports.  He  should  be  urged  to 
active  work  in  connection  with  his  own  church  and  Sunday- 
school. 

5. — The  intellectual  agencies  usually  employed  are  the 
reading  room,  library,  literary  society,  and  practical  talks. 
It  is  especially  desirable  to  preempt  a  boy's  taste  as  to  his 
reading,  and  it  would  seem  that  with  the  abundance  of  ex- 
cellent and  attractive  literature  of  to-day  this  might  be 
done.  All  the  best  papers  and  magazines  for  young  folks 
should  be  provided,  including  some  of  a  scientific  and 
technical  nature,  and  not  forgetting  those  that  are  pub- 
lished in  the  interest  of  temperance,  kindness  to  animals, 
etc.  Over  one-third  of  the  Associations  reporting  boys' 
work  for  1890  had  a  boys'  library.  There  are  reasons 
why  a  separate  library  is  better  than  for  the  boys  to  have 
access  to  that  of  the  Association,  even  when  such  access  is 
practicable.  A  little  well-directed  effort  will  secure  a  col- 
lection of  suitable  books.*  The  literary  society  may  be 
very  useful,  leading  the  boys  to  study  and  research,  and 
teaching  them  order,  business  methods,  and  parliamentary 
rules,  together  with  that  tact  and  self-possession  in  speak- 
ing so  helpful  and  yet  difficult  to   acquire  except  in  early 

*  Many  good  books  are  suggested  in  Sargenf  s  ' '  Reading  for  the  Young  "  $1.00 
cloth, Library  Bureau,  146  Franklin  St.,  Boston. 


364  WORK  FOR  BOYS.  Chap.  28,  D,  6. 

life.  The  *^  practical  talk"  has  always  been  popular.  In 
every  community  there  are  those  who  can  instruct  and  in- 
terest boys,  particularly  if  allowed  to  talk  informally  and 
in  line  with  their  own  business  or  study  or  experience. 
The  range  of  topics  is  broad,  and  may  include  history,  bio- 
graphy, travel,  reminiscences,  mechanical  art,  business 
habits,  morals,  and  bodily  health.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  send 
the. boys  themselves  to  invite  the  speakers.  In  some  in- 
stances the  evening  class  is  employed,  though  it  is  not  con- 
sidered wise  to  admit  school  boys  to  branches  included  in 
their  regular  course  of  study. 

6. — The  physical  department  is  particularly  attractive 
to  boys.  Of  course  they  should  enter  it  under  the  same 
rules  and  supervision  as  the  young  men.  A  physical  ex- 
amination, preferably  by  the  family  doctor,  should  be  the 
first  step  taken  in  the  matter.  Every  boy  who,  in  the 
judgment  of  his  physician,  needs  special  gymnastic  treat- 
ment should  bring  to  the  physical  director  a  statement  to 
that  effect.  A  separate  gymnasium,  with  fixtures  adaj^ted 
to  boys,  is  desirable  but  cannot  often  be  had.  IsTo  boy 
should  be  allowed  on  the  floor  or  in  the  bath  rooms  during 
the  hours  given  to  young  men.  In  the  Rock  Island,  111., 
building,  a  special  stairway  runs  from  the  boys'  reading 
room  to  their  own  bath  and  dressing  room,  which  is  con- 
nected by  a  corridor  with  the  gymnasium;  so  that  there  is 
no   occasion  for  their  ever  entering  the  men's  bath  room. 

Most  out-door  sports  will  fit  the  boys  as  well  as  the 
young  men,  but  should  be  undertaken  only  under  proper 
supervision.  The  rambling  club  is  one  of  the  simplest  as 
well  as  the  most  popular  forms.  A  more  extended  outing, 
in  the  shape  of  a  boys'  camp,  is  described  in  the  '*  Young 
Men's  Era  "  1891,  page  388. 

7. — /Socz'a^  methods  will  depend  largely  upon  the  class 
of  boys  and  the  facilities  at  command.  As  a  rule  it  is  un- 
desirable to  admit  the  younger  boys  in  the  evening,  but 
they  may  come  during  specified  hours  on  some  or  all  days 
of  the  week.      And  it  is  a  question  whether  the  attendance 


Chap.  28,  D,  8.  work  for  boys.  365 

of  the  older  boys  should  not  be  limited  to  a  certain  num- 
ber of  evenings  a  week.  "No  boy  with  a  home  should  spend 
too  many  evenings  away  from  it. 

In  the  selection  of  social  attractions,  particularly  games, 
preference  should  be  given  to  those  that  are  quiet,  and  that 
combine  something  of  instruction  or  mental  training  with 
amusement.  Noisy  games  are  especially  objectionable  if 
there  is  but  one  room.  This  class  of  attractions  is  so 
numerous  that  an  attentive  committee  will  never  be  at  a 
loss  for  something  new.  Not  too  many  should  be  intro- 
duced at  once.  When  the  boys  are  tired  of  anything,  let 
it  be  put  aside  for  awhile  and  it  will  come  out  again  as 
fresh  as  ever.  Discourage  the  boys  from  giving  too  much 
time  to  amusements,  never  the  whole  evening.  It  should 
generally  be  possible  to  devote  the  latter  part  of  the  even- 
ing to  something  in  another  line,  either  physical,  educa- 
tional, or  religious.  Music  should  have  an  important  part 
in  the  social  work. 

A  boys'  bank  is  described  in  the  "  Young  Men's  Era,  " 
1891,  page  196. 

8. — An  extended  work  for  boys  will  require  some  printed 
matter,  most  of  which  can  readily  be  modeled  after  that 
used  for  young  men. 


WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASiSFS. 


SECTION  A. 

The  Associations  are  bound  to  be  on  the  alert  that  no 
class  of  young  men  within  reach  be  neglected  in  their 
scheme  of  work.  While  very  much  is  still  unattempted, 
successful  effort  has  been  made  along  several  lines.  Some 
of  this  work  seems  to  be  best  accomj)lished  through  sepa- 
rate organizations,  and  this  has  called  into  existence  the 
college,  railroad,  and  other  departments. 

COLLEGE    STUDENTS.* 

1. — The  extent  and  importance  of  this  field  is  seen  by 
the  following  statements  :  There  are  350  Protestant  col" 
leges  in  North  America,  containing  50,000  young  men. 
Less  than  half  of  these  students  are  professing  Christians, 
and  it  is  a  conceded  fact  that  but  a  small  proportion  are 
converted  after  leaving  college.  In  addition  to  the  above 
the  preparatory,  professional,  scientific,  and  commercial 
schools  are  nearly  1,000  in  number,  and  contain  not  less 
than  100,000  young  men.  And  the  number  of  schools 
and  students  is  constantly  and  rapidly  increasing.     These 

*  For  historical  items  see  Chap.  3,  F,  3,  /  and  j. 
See  Int.  pphs.  No.  26,  "The  Intercollegiate  Association  Movement";  No.  27, 
"An  Outline  of  the  Work  of  College  Associations";  No.  301,  "  College  Associa- 
tion Record  Blanks'  ;  No.  302.  "  College  Association  Buildings";  No.  303,  "How 
to  Secure  a  College  Association  Building";  No.  305,  "The  Fall  Campaign,  or 
How  to  Reach  New  Students";  No.  308,  "The  Study  of  the  English  Bible  in 
College'';  No.  304,  "How  Can  the  College  Association  Awaken  and  Maintain 
Interest  in  Bible  Study";  No.  307,  "Personal  Work"";  No.  310,  "Christ  as  a 
Personal  Worker";  (the  last  two  contain  studies  for  training  classes);  No.  311, 
"  Studies  in  tho  Gospel  of  Luke  ";  and  No.  306,  "  The  Claims  of  the  General  Sec- 
retaryship on  Men  of  Education  and  Ability." 


Chap.  29,  A,  5.      WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.  367 

men  are  to  occupy  leading  positions  in  business  and  social 
life,  and  will  exert  because  of  their  culture  a  greater  in- 
fluence for  or  against  Christ.  If  saved,  it  must  usually  be 
through  the  instrumentality  of  their  college  associates.  To 
enlist,  organize,  and  train  the  Christian  students  for  this 
work  is  a  chief  work  of  the  College  Association. 

2. — Beyond,  however,  these  results  of  leading  students 
to  Christ,  and  adding  to  the  church  and  to  the  number  of 
Christian  workers,  a  direct  benefit  accrues  to  the  Associa- 
tions at  large  and  to  their  specific  work  for  young  men. 
Those  led  into  or  trained  in  the  Christian  life  by  the 
college  society,  or  in  any  way  affiliating  with  it,  will  often 
identify  themselves  later  with  the  city  Association,  bring- 
ing to  it  their  experience  and  breadth  of  culture.  Many 
men  with  collegiate  training  will  also  be  needed  as  general 
secretaries,  and  every  College  Association  should  provide 
for  a  stated  presentation  of  the  claims  of  this  work  upon 
students,  and  such  presentation  should  be  made  as  clear, 
as  forcible,  and  as  impressive  as  possible. 

3. — Effort  should  be  made  to  establish  and  strengthen 
friendly  relations  between  the  city  and  College  Associa- 
tions. The  college  vacation  ticket,  issued  by  the  Interna- 
tional Committee,  entitling  the  holder  to  the  privileges  of 
any  Association  he  may  visit  during  his  vacations,  affords 
opportunities  for  extending  courtesies  which  are  likely  to 
accomplish  such  results.  The  professors  and  upper-class- 
men may  also  aid  a  contiguous  town  Association  by  ad- 
dressing an  occasional  literary  or  religious  meeting. 

4. — The  character  of  college  life — its  comparative  iso- 
lation, and  the  fact  that  so  many  young  men  are  congregated 
together  and  away  from  the  refinements  and  restraints  of 
home — renders  the  social  and  religious  influence  of  the 
College  Association  peculiarly  helpful  ;  and  it  is  none  the 
less  needed  because  of  other  social  and  literary  college 
fraternities. 

5. — There  are  included  in  the  purpose  and  plan  of  col- 
lego  worl:  individual  effort,  devotional  meetings,  evangel- 


368  WORK   FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.      Chap.  20,  A,  6. 

istic  meetings,  Bible  classes,  development  of  missionary 
spirit,  college  neighborhood  work,  and  intercollegiate  co- 
operation. In  many  colleges  all  these  departments  are  in 
operation  under  a  systematic  committee  organization. 

a.  The  committees  on  work  for  new  students  and  on 
membership  strive  to  reach  the  new  students.  This  must 
be  done  the  first  week — much  of  it  the  first  day.  A  re- 
ception, perhaps  at  the  president's  house,  on  the  first 
evening,  to  which  the  members  of  the  incoming  class  are 
invited,  affords  one  of  the  quickest  and  best  methods.  In 
some  way  each  man  must  be  approached  and,  if  possible, 
secured  either  as  an  active  or  associate  member. 

h.  Devotional  and  evangelistic  meetings  are  held,  the 
former  weekly  or  oftener;  the  latter  perhaps  once  a  month, 
also  during  the  seasons  appointed  for  sj^ecial  prayer  or  at 
times  of  religious  awakening.  A  committee  on  religious 
meetings  appoints  leaders,  selects  topics,  and  in  every 
practicable  way  contributes  to  their  success. 

c.  A  committee  on  Bible  study  aims  to  interest  every 
student  in  this  matter,  and  also  provides  for  systematic 
work,  usually  by  forming  small  Bible  training  classes  for 
the  study  of  fundamental  truths  and  practical  methods  of 
dealing  with  the  unconverted. 

d.  The  missionary  committee  has  supervision  of  a 
very  important  department.  From  the  colleges  must 
come  very  largely  not  only  the  missionaries  themselves, 
but  the  pastors  whose  intelligent  presentation  of  the  cause 
shall  stimulate  the  churches  to  sympathy  and  generous 
benefactions.  Many  who  are  to  become  influential 
and  wealthy  laymen  may  receive  a  bias  while  in  college 
affecting  their  future  attitude  towards  this  cause  and 
their  gifts  to  it.  The  history  of  the  connection  between 
the  colleges  and  the  missionary  movement  of  the  j^resent 
century,  from  the  haystack  prayer  meeting  of  the  Wil- 
liams' College  boys  down  to  L.  D.  Wishard's  departure 
for  Japan,  is  deeply  interesting,  and  should  become  famil- 
iar to  every  Association  student. 


Chap.  29,  A,  10.    WORK  for  special  classes.  369 

/.  A  finance  committee  secures  the  money  needed  by 
the  organization,  and  for  a  contribution  toward  the  inter- 
collegiate Avork. 

g.  A  committee  on  intercollegiate  relations  brings  to 
the  Association  the  results  of  the  experience  of  similar 
organizations,  and  makes  the  influence  of  the  Association 
felt  in  the  intercollegiate  movement. 

8. — The  organization  of  the  College  Association  is  as 
simj^le  as  practicable.  Aside  from  the  committees  whose 
duties  have  been  outlined,  there  are  the  usual  officers,  with 
rules  regarding  membership,  business  meetings,  etc.  A 
form  of  constitution  is  in  general  use  that  was  adopted 
by  a  college  conference  at  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  in  1883  ; 
revised  by  a  similar  conference  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in 
1891  ;  and  published  by  the  International  Committee,  as 
No.  309. 

9. — One  third  of  the  Associations  have  rooms  devoted 
exclusively  to  their  use.  Such  rooms  are  advantageous 
in  many  ways,  especially  where  it  is  desired  to  maintain 
a  reading-room  or  library,  and  to  hold  social  gatherings, 
as  is  done  by  many  Associations.  Some  fine  build- 
ings have  recently  come  into  the  possession  of  the  Col- 
lege Associations,  and  the  number  is  rapidly  increasing. 
Several  of  these  Associations  emploj^  general  secretaries, 
usually  a  recent  graduate  who  remains  a  year  or  more  to 
assist  in  developing  the  work.  In  a  few  large  cities  there 
are  intercollegiate  organizations,  local  colleges  uniting  and 
having  their  headquarters  in  the  city  Association  building 
or  elsewhere.  The  Associations  generally  should  do  every- 
thing practicable  to  affiliate  with  their  work  the  students 
of  such  collegiate  and  post-graduate  schools  in  their  local- 
ity as  have  no  organizations  of  their  own. 

10. — The  College  Associations  receive  many  visits  from 
International  and  State  Secretaries,  and  much  similar  work 
has  recently  been  accomplished  through  the  "  deputation 
plan,"  by  which  selected  students  are  trained  in  annual 
**  deputation  conferences,"  and  sent  out  to  instruct  and 


370  WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.      Chap.  29,  A,  11. 

train  the  College  Associations  along  legitimate  lines  and 
advanced  methods  of  work. 

The  "  student  summer  schools  "  began  with  that  held  by 
invitation  of  D.  L.  Moody  at  Mount  Hermon,  Mass.,  in 
1886,  and  annually  since  that  time  at  Northfield.  In  these 
schools,  several  of  which  are  now  held  each  year  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country,  many  hundred  college  students 
study  the  Bible  and  methods  of  Christian  work,  under  the 
guidance  of  prominent  scholars  and  workers  from  this  and 
other  lands. 

11. — As  an  outgrowth  of  the  college  work  in  America, 
resulting  from  correspondence  and  visitation,  a  consider- 
able number  of  students'  Associations  have  been  estab- 
lished in  schools  in  foreign  mission  lands.  Calls  have 
also  come  for  competent  men  to  organize  and  develop 
Association  work  among  young  men  in  the  colleges  and 
cities  of  the  foreign  field,  resulting  in  the  round-the-world 
tour  of  L.  D.  Wishard,  as  College  Secretary  of  the  Central 
International  Committee,  and  the  missions  of  J.  Trumbull 
Swift  in  Japan,  David  McConaughy,  Jr.,  in  India  and 
Myron  A.  Clark  in  Brazil.  He  must  indeed  be  wise  who 
would  attempt  to  forecast  the  results  of  such  movements 
as  these.  May  not  David  McConaughy's  words,  penned 
on  shipboard  in  New  York  harbor,  Oct.  2,  1889,  become 
historic  :  "  As  we  start  eastward  to-day  for  India,  Swift 
also  leaves  New  York  for  Japan,  and  at  the  same  time 
Wishard  sets  out  from  Japan  to  join  us  in  India — the  circle 
of  the  globe  completed  in  three  segments  by  influences 
emanating  from  the  American  group  of  this  world-wide 
movement  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  "  ? 


Chap.  29,  B,  1.    work  for  special  classes.  371 

SECTION  B. 

RAILROAD    MEN.* 

1. — Alms  and  benefits, — A  railroad  department  of  the 
Association  is  usually  located  at  a  railroad  center,  where 
different  roads  or  divisions  meet,  and  employees  come  to- 
gether from  places  hundreds  of  miles  apart.  It  is  thus  a 
focal  point  of  converging  and  radiating  influences  covering 
an  extended  area.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  other  large  and 
distinctive  body  of  men  in  the  country  in  which  such  a  work 
would  prove  so  helpful  or  be  so  thoroughly  appreciated. 
On  the  road  night  and  day,  and  through  the  entire  week  ; 
largely  young  men,  and  in  any  case  much  away  from  what- 
ever home  they  have  ;  they  are  shut  out  in  great  measure 
from  the  higher  social  privileges,  and  in  many  cases  almost 
entirely  from  church  life.  During  their  odd  hours  of 
leisure  they  must  often  choose  between  the  caboose  or  a 
cheerless  lodging  and  the  saloon,  with  its  social  but  de- 
moralizing atmosphere,  and  it  is  not  strange  if  the  natural 
drift  be  toward  the  latter.  The  Association  aims  to  pro- 
vide, wherever  any  considerable  number  of  railroad  men, 
especially  train  men,  are  congregated,  a  neatly  kept  place 
of  resort,  better  in  every  way  than  the  saloon,  furnished 
with  books  and  papers,  amusements,  baths  and  a  score  of 
the  little  conveniences  and  attractions  of  home,  and  pre- 
sided over  by  a  warm-hearted  Christian  man,  to  give  a 
hearty  welcome  to  each  comer  and  a  social  cheeriness  to 
the  whole  place.  Add  to  this  the  religious  meeting,  the 
Bible  class,  visitation  and  care  in  injury  or  sickness,  kind 
counsel  and  aid  in  every  trouble,  and  we  have  an  excellent 
example  of  practical  Christianity  operating  through  Asso- 
ciation methods.  The  peculiarly  responsible  duties  of 
railroad  men  in  relation  to  life  and  property  call  for  clear 
judgment,  high  personal  courage,  and  strong  moral  sense, 

*  For  historical  items  see  Chap.  3,  F,  3,  d!. 
For  various  points  regarding  the  raih-oad  work  see  Int.  pphs.  Nos.  575.  57P 
589,  and  592.  *^ 


372  WORK  FOR   SPECIAL  CLASSES.      Chap.  29,  B,  2. 

things  quite  incompatible  with  loose  habits  and  irreligious 
views. 

As  to  the  direct  results  of  this  work,  President  Depew, 
of  the  New  York  Central  Railroad,  testifies  as  follows  : 
"  The  effect  of  the  establishment  of  one  of  these  socie- 
ties at  a  railroad  center  is  marked  and  immediate.  The 
character  of  the  service  begins  to  improve.  Salaries  and 
wages,  which  had  been  worse  than  wasted,  are  spent  upon 
wives  and  children,  and  the  surplus  finds  its  way  into  the 
savings  bank  and  from  there  into  a  homestead.  To  many 
of  these  men  are  intrusted  the  lives  of  the  hunjired  million 
passengers  who  annually  travel  on  the  railways  of  the 
country.  The  demand  for  speed  constantly  increases  the 
dangers  of  carriage.  The  steady  hand  and  clear  brain  of 
the  locomotive  engineer,  of  the  switchman  at  the  crossing, 
of  the  flagman  at  the  curve,  of  the  signalman  at  the 
telegraph,  alone  prevent  unutterable  horrors,  and  this 
Association  does  more  in  fitting  men  to  fulfill  these  duties 
for  the  safety  of  the  public  than  all  the  patent  appliances 
of  the  age." 

To  this  may  be  added  the  statement  of  Mr.  Cornelius 
Vanderbilt,  that,  "In  all  the  larger  fields  of  Christian, 
educational,  or  benevolent  endeavor,  I  know  of  no  efforts 
which  accomplish  so  much  for  the  people  immediately 
interested  and  for  the  character  of  the  service  they  render 
to  the  public,  in  the  safety  of  life  and  property,  as  those 
of  the  railroad  branch  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation." 

2. —  Orga7iization  and  Finance. — *  Practical  experience 
shows  that  the  "  department "  method  of  organization  is 
the  best  wherever  there  is  a  local  Association.  Where 
there  is  none,  a  Railroad  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion may  be  organized,  complete  in  itself  ;  but  the  consti- 
tution should  provide  for  a  change  to  the  former  plan 
whenever  a  city  Association  shall  be  formed.  Occasionally, 

*  Int.  pph.  No.  37  is  "  Bylaws  of  a  Railroad  Department  of  a  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,"  and  No.  620,  "  Constitution  of  a  Railroad  Association." 


Chap.  39,  B,  3.     WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.  373 

in  a  small  place  with  a  population  largely  of  railroad 
people,  a  joint  organization  may  be  advisable.  In  such 
cases  the  best  results  have  been  obtained  by  forming  a 
Railroad  Association  and  constantly  emphasizing  the 
work  for  railroad  men,  although  inviting  the  young  men 
of  the  town  to  join.  Such  organizations  are  generally 
effected  by  the  aid  or  under  the  supervision  of  the  Inter- 
national Committee.  For  general  information  concerning 
department  methods  see  chapter  6,  A. 

Generous  financial  aid  is  given  to  this  work  by  railroad 
companies.  The  rooms  are  often  located  in  a  corporation 
building,  and  heated  and  lighted  free,  and  it  is  customary 
for  the  company  either  to  grant  an  annual  appropriation 
payable  in  monthly  installments  or  to  pay  all  or  most  of 
the  secretary's  salary,  his*  name  being  placed  on  the  pay- 
roll as  an  employee.  The  additional  amount  required  is 
secured  from  the  railroad  men  in  membership  fees  or  sub- 
scriptions. In  the  case  of  a  combined  town  and  railroad 
work  an  equitable  part  of  the  budget  should  be  provided 
by  subscriptions  from  citizens.  With  a  building  or  suitable 
rooms  containing  the  conveniences  here  outlined,  and  a 
reasonable  amount  of  company  support,  there  is  usually 
little  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  needed  additional  income. 
Membership  privileges  are  reciprocal,  so  that  a  membership 
ticket  at  one  point  entitles  to  membership  privileges  at  all 
points. 

3. — Rooms  and  Methods. — Nearly  all  the  Railroad 
Associations  have  rooms,  which  are  usually  located  in  or 
near  the  stations,  round  houses,  or  freight  yards.  Many 
excellent  buildings  have  been  erected  specially  for  the 
work,  and  the  number  is  growing  each  year.  A  conven- 
ient suite  of  apartments  will  include  reading-room  and 
library,  social  room  or  parlor,  bath  and  toilet  rooms,  rest 
rooms,  hall  for  meetings  and  entertainments  and  secre- 
tary's office.  If  necessary,  some  of  these  apartments  may 
be  combined.  The  reading-room  should  have,  in  addition 
to  other  matter,  files  of   the  leading  railroad  periodicalsi 


374  WORK   FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.      Chap.  29,  B,  3. 

The  library  is  a  very  important  feature.  It  should  contain 
a  good  variety  of  miscellaneous  reading  including  the  best 
fiction.  Preference  should  be  given  to  the  shorter  and  more 
concise  publications,  and  to  those  of  a  cyclopedic  character. 
Many  such  are  being  published  and  are  largely  superseding 
with  busy  men  the  older  and  more  voluminous  editions. 
Grote's  Greece  for  example,  in  twelve  volumes,  would 
discourage  any  railroad  man  ;  but  a  trim  little  book  of  two 
hundred  pages,  containing  the  gist  of  the  whole  might 
tempt  to  a  perusal.  There  should  be  a  generous  supply 
of  technical  railroad  books,  both  a  general  and  a  mechani- 
cal cyclopedia — the  best  published,  and  a  good  list  of 
reference  books  for  Bible  study. 

The  rest  room  is  an  apartment  divided  into  a  number 
of  single  rooms  furnished  with  cots,  where  trainmen, 
coming  and  going  at  all  times  of  the  day  and  night,  msiy 
catch  a  few  hours  sleep  between  trains  within  easy  call. 
The  great  convenience  of  this  feature  can  only  be  appre- 
ciated by  those  familiar  with  railroad  life.  A  lunch  room, 
where  a  cup  of  coffee,  a  sandwich  or  light  lunch  can  be 
secured,  is  often  added  in  Associations  where  there  are 
large  numbers  of  trainmen  away  from  home.  A  room  is 
often  fitted  up  with  cots,  stretchers,  and  a  supply  of 
bandages  and  ordinary  remedies,  and  kept  as  an  emergency 
hospital,  where  men  may  receive  temporary  treatment 
when  injured  by  accidents.  The  baths  are  not  a  luxury 
but  a  necessity,  and  must  be  ready  for  use  at  all  hours. 
The  gymnasium  may  be  less  needed  by  railroad  men  than 
by  many  others,  and  yet  an  assortment  of  light  apparatus 
may  be  easily  provided  and  be  a  means  of  healthful  recre- 
ation. A  bowling  alley  and  a  yard  with  requisities  for 
some  out-door  games  are  both  popular  features. 

Educational  classes,  social  receptions,  and  practical 
talks  all  have  their  place  in  the  railroad  work  ;  especially 
will  such  topics  as  "personal  purity,"  "the  effects  of 
stimulants  and  narcotics,"  and  "  first  aid  to  the  injured " 
be  very  helpful.     To   these   may   sometimes  be  added   a 


Chap.  29,  B,  8.    work  for  special  classes.  375 

series  of  talks  on  mechanical  subjects.  The  educational 
work  should  be  so  arranged,  in  the  selection  of  studies 
and  in  details  of  teaching,  that  each  session  of  a  class 
has  a  positive  value  of  its  own,  independent  of  preced- 
ing or  succeeding  sessions.  Any  plan  which  necessitates 
a  continuous  attendance  at  every  session  of  a  course 
is  likely  to  defeat  itself,  or  diminish  the  usefulness  of  the 
attempted  instruction.  In  the  religious  department  the 
men's  meeting,  the  Bible  class,  the  workers'  training  class, 
and  evangelistic  meetings  are  employed.  The  meetings 
and  classes  will  often  and  of  necessity  be  small  and  the 
attendance  irregular,  but  this  should  not  prevent  systema- 
tic and  persistent  effort.  Results  do  not  always  depend 
upon  nor  correspond  to  numbers.  Cottage  meetings  have 
reached  many  men  at  their  homes  who  would  not  come  to 
the  public  meetings.  The  family  with  whom  the  meeting 
is  held  should  be  interested  in  gathering  friends  and 
neighbors  to  the  service,  making  special  effort  to  secure 
the  attendance  of  the  men.  The  exercises  should  be  of  the 
most  informal  character  and  not  too  long.  The  utmost 
cordiality  should  be  manifested,  and  effort  made  to 
induce  non-church-goers  to  attend  public  worship.  These 
meetings  are  sometimes  held  at  the  homes  of  invalids. 

The  general  secretary  is  an  indispensable  factor.  In- 
deed, the  element  of  personal  Christian  devotion  and 
enthusiasm  which  he  throws  into  the  work  and  cultivates  in 
the  workers,  constitutes  the  essential  difference  between 
these  efforts  and  earlier  unsuccessful  ones.  His  work  is 
quite  as  varied  as  that  of  a  city  secretary.  He  must  have 
tact  to  adapt  himself  and  his  methods  to  the  characteris- 
tics, habits,  and  wants  of  railroad  men.  Accustomed  to 
system  in  everything,  the  men  will  not  be  pleased  with 
loose  and  careless  ways  about  the  rooms.  He  must  be 
frank  and  hearty  in  his  intercourse  with  them,  and  never 
afraid  of  a  soiled  hand.  More  freedom  may  be  allowed 
than  in  other  branches,  but  tactful  effort  for  the  cultiva- 
tion of  good   manners   should   not   be   wanting,  and  the 


:>76  WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.  Chap.  29,  O. 

ordinary  refinements  of  home  life  should  be  observed. 
The  example  of  the  secretar}^,  and  of  leaders  enlisted  by 
him,  will  accomplish  more  in  this  direction  than  placards 
on  the  walls  or  any  such  formal  method.  The  few  rules 
necessary  should  be  kindly  but  firmly  enforced.  If  the 
secretary  can  get  into  the  hearts  of  the  men,  and  no  men 
have  larger  hearts,  his  sympathy  and  advice  will  be  at  a 
premium.  As  many  of  the  men  cannot  or  will  not  come  to 
the  secretary  to  get  acquainted,  he  must  go  to  the  yard, 
visiting  them  in  the  round  house,  on  the  engine,  or  in  the 
caboose.  If  he  has  been  a  railroad  man  himself  he  can 
more  easily  get  at  them,  and  a  few  months  on  the  road  in 
some  capacity  might  well  be  included  in  his  preparatory 
course.  He  can  be  specially  helpful  in  connection  with 
the  sick  and  injured.  The  secretary  should  know  what  to 
do  in  an  emergency,  and  be  able  both  to  nurse  the  body 
and  to  comfort  the  heart.  He  should  cultivate  self- 
possession  and  such  cheeriness  of  voice  and  manner  that 
his  entrance  into  the  sick  room  will  be  like  a  ray  of 
sunshine. 


SECTION  C. 

COMMERCIAL    TRAVELERS. 

There  are  from  75,000  to  100,000  commercial  travelers 
in  the  country.  As  a  class  they  are  largely  young  men, 
and  of  necessity  bright,  keen,  and  active.  They  are  con- 
tinually away  from  home,  with  little  social  life  save  that 
of  the  railroad  car  and  the  hotel,  and  exposed  to  subtle 
temptation  at  every  turn.  They  are  intimately  connected 
with  the  entire  mercantile  community,  the  class  among 
which  the  Association  was  originally  formed  and  from 
which  it  has  always  drawn  very  largely  both  its  members 
and  patrons.  Helpful  relations  evidently  could  and  ought 
to  exist  between  such  a  class  and  the  Associations,  and  for 


Chap.  29,  C.        WORK  FOR  special  classes.  37^ 

some  3'"ears  the  International  Committee  has  co-operated 
with  Christian  traveling  men  in  the  Associations  in  efforts 
to  this  end.  An  important  introductory  step  was  taken  by 
the  International  Convention  of  1879,  in  instructing  the 
committee  to  issue  a  commercial  travelers'  ticket,  which 
entitles  the  holder  to  certain  privileges  in  any  Association 
he  may  visit  while  on  the  road.  This  ticket  is  obtained 
through  the  local  organization,  or,  if  there  be  none  at  the 
traveler's  home,  from  the  Association  in  the  city  where  the 
house  he  represents  is  located.  Effort  should  be  made  to 
put  these  tickets  into  the  hands  of  as  many  as  possible  of 
these  men.  Besides  the  benefit  to  the  individual  from  the 
privileges  conferred  and  the  helpful  associations  into 
which  he  will  be  led,  the  tendency  will  be  to  interest  him 
in  the  work  generally.  All  tickets  should  bear  dated 
endorsements  by  the  proper  officers. 

Each  city  Association  should  have  a  commercial  trav- 
elers' committee,  consisting  of  all  Christian  traveling  men 
in  the  membership  who  will  serve,  with,  perhaps,  a  few 
local  tradesmen.  Some  conveniences  at  the  Association 
rooms,  as  a  correspondence  room  or  desk,  will  be  helpful. 
The  secretary  should  learn  to  recognize  a  traveling  man  at 
sight,  and  give  him  an  off-hand  hearty  greeting,  calling 
him  by  name,  if  possible,  after  his  first  visit.  Each  hotel 
and  railroad  waiting  room  should  have  an  Association 
directory,  in  which  an  invitation  to  commercial  travelers 
should  be  conspicuous.  Many  Associations  secure  addresses 
from  the  hotel  registers,  and  leave  on  Saturday  night  or 
Sunday  morning  invitations  to  the  rooms  and  to  both 
Association  and  church  services,  with  a  directory  of  the 
same.  A  diagram  of  the  city  showing  the  location  of  the 
Association  rooms,  principal  churches,  and  public  build- 
ings, is  a  helpful  addition.  There  should  also  be  a  card 
for  presentation  to  the  usher  of  any  church.  There  may 
well  be  in  every  city  church  a  "  young  men's  pew,"  eligi- 
bly located  and  complete  in  its  equipments,  to  be  used  in 
connection  with  this  line  of  work. 


S^S  WORK  FOR  SI^ECIAL  CLASSES.  Chap.  29,  0. 

Religious  meetings  may  be  held  occasionally  for  travel- 
ing men  at  points  where  many  of  them  stop  for  Sundaj'^jOr 
in  cities  where  numbers  of  them  reside  and  at  seasons  when 
they  are  likely  to  be  at  home.  An  informal  service  of 
song  on  Sunday  afternoons  in  hotel  parlors  has  been  tried 
with  good  effect.  This  should  be  suggested  and,  if  pos- 
sible, led  by  one  of  themselves.  It  may  sometimes  be 
practicable,  especially  at  a  commercial  center,  to  tender 
them  a  social  reception.  At  least  when  a  reception  is 
given  to  commercial  men,  travelers  should  be  particularly 
included  in  the  invitations,  and  be  given  prominence  in 
some  way  on  the  programme. 

But  far  beyond  the  possibilities  of  the  local  Association 
is  the  work  which  may  be  done  by  Christian  traveling  men 
among  their  fellows  ;  and  the  more  important  object  of 
this  organized  effort  is,  perhaps,  to  rouse  them  to  a  sense 
of  their  personal  opportunity  and  duty,  the  Association 
merely  placing  at  their  disposal  its  various  helps.  A  cer- 
tain reserve,  tinctured  often  with  indifference  if  not  moral 
cowardice,  takes  possession  of  many  a  Christian  man  and 
causes  him  to  shut  up  his  religion  like  a  dark  lantern 
when  out  on  the  busy  and  careless  thoroughfares  of  life. 
It  is  sought  to  establish  a  fraternity  of  such  Christian 
symj^athy,  courage,  and  activity,  as  shall  help  every  man  to 
open  the  slide  and  show  his  light.  There  are  a  thousand 
chances  to  throw  one's  influence  on  the  right  side  ;  hj  a 
word,  often  by  a  look,  by  a  gentlemanly  reproof,  an  invi- 
tation to  a  religious  meeting,  or  a  judicious  use  of  Christ- 
ian literature.  A  profane  word  or  a  coarse  jest  will  often 
be  left  unsaid  from  the  mere  knowledge  that  it  is  distaste- 
ful to  one  of  the  company.  And  then  it  is  much  easier 
than  we  often  think  to  open  conversation  with  a  fellow 
traveler  on  the  subject  of  personal  religion.  An  earnest 
disposition  will  find  abundant  opportunities  and  beget  a 
tact  and  skill  that  will  soon  bear  fruit.  There  is  a  plan 
by  which  such  personal  interviews  may  be  reported  to  the 
home  Association,  and  any  impressions  be  systematically 


Chap.  29,  i).      WORK  FOR  special  classes.  379 

followed  up.  (See  appendix,  sample  No.  57).  Blanks  for 
this  purpose,  together  with  several  helpful  little  pamphlets 
are  furnished  by  the  International  Committee,  also  the 
special  form  of  membership  ticket  already  referred  to. 

Traveling  men  may  often  exert  a  strong  influence  in  be- 
half of  the  Associations  by  talking  with  their  patrons 
about  them,  and  especially  about  the  one  in  the  town 
where  they  are  doing  business  at  the  time.  Possibly 
information  coming  from  such  a  source,  particularly  if 
along  practical  lines,  will  have  more  effect  than  any  influ- 
ence the  resident  members  could  bring  to  bear. 


SECTION  D. 


A  large  percentage  of  the  male  population  in  every 
city  is  engaged  in  mechanical  pursuits,  and  no  class  con- 
tains a  better  average  of  earnest,  active,  and  intelligent 
young  men.  And  yet  it  is  often  said  that  the  Associa- 
tions do  not  reach  and  are  not  adapted  to  reach  the  in- 
dustrial classes.  The  latter  statement  is  certainly  untrue, 
and  if  the  first  is  in  a  measure  correct,  it  is  the  fault,  not 
of  the  institution,  but  of  the  membership  and  methods  of 
tlie  given  locality.  Every  Association  where  this  im23ort- 
ant  element  is  not  being  reached  should  seek  to  remedy  this 
serious  defect.  There  is  no  good  reason  why,  with  a 
proper  adaptation  of  the  means  at  hand  in  every  city  As- 
sociation, large  numbers  of  young  mechanics  cannot  be 
attracted  to  the  reading  room,  the  library,  classes,  and 
lectures. 

The  first  step,  as  just  suggested,  is  an  adaptation  of 
means.  Place  on  file  in  the  reading  room  the  best  mechan- 
ical journals,  something  suited  to  each  of  the  local  indus- 

*  See  Int.  i:>ph.  No.  61,  "How  can  our  Associations  better  adapt  themselves  to 
the  needs  of  young  men  of  all  classes  ? " 


380  "WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.        Chap.  20,  D. 

tries,  and  including  perhaps  some  expensive  periodicals, 
not  apt  to  be  found  elsewhere.  Put  the  standard  works  of 
reference  on  the  library  shelves,  and  add  any  valuable  new 
book  on  mechanics  as  soon  as  issued.  In  arranofinor  the 
evening  classes  and  the  practical  talks,  provide  something 
that  will  be  especially  helpful  to  apprentices. 

T@  bring  the  young  men  into  contact  with  the  Associa- 
tion, various  methods  maybe  used;  a  reception  to  mechanics 
and  manufacturers — in  large  cities  to  the  employees  of 
a  certain  industry  or  manufactory,  or  the  distribution  of  a 
special  circular  or  prospectus,  emphasizing  the  privileges 
likely  to  attract.  This  may  sometimes  be  placed  in  the 
regular  pay  envelopes.  All  the  ordinary  methods  of  ad- 
vertising should  be  utilized,  such  as  the  newspapers,  and 
the  Association  bulletin,  which  may  contain,  at  least 
occasionally,  a  department  devoted  to  mechanical  inter- 
ests. Placards  advertising  the  Association  privileges  and 
especially  those  adapted  to  this  class  may  be  put  n-p  in 
shops  and  factories. 

The  membership  and  invitation  committees  should  strive 
to  obtain  representatives  in  each  establishment  employing 
any  number  of  men,  or  at  least  in  each  distinctive  industry. 
Effort  should  also  be  made  to  secure  the  good  will  and 
co-operation  of  employers  and  officers  of  corporations,  who 
may  render  great  assistance. 

There  will  often  be  prejudice,  possibly  an  inclination  to 
class  jealousy,  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  young  men, 
which  must  be  overcome  by  frank  and  kindly  intercourse. 
Care  will  be  necessary  on  the  part  of  the  membership  gen- 
erally, to  do  or  say  nothing  likely  to  offend  any  or  to 
make  them  ill  at  ease.  Especially  should  young  men  be 
cordially  recognized  wherever  met  and  whatever  their 
dress. 

If  some  well-known  young  mechanics  be  placed  on  the 
reception  committee  they  may  draw  many  of  their  fellows 
to  the  rooms,  and  similar  methods  may  avail  in  connection 
with  the  literary  society  and  the  gymnasium.     If  a  Christ- 


Chap.  29,  E,  2.      WORK   FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.  381 

ian  mechanic,  either  employer  or  employee,  leads  the  young 
men's  meeting,  the  invitation  committee  may  issue  a 
special  and  attractive  invitation  card. 

The  general  results  of  this  work  must  not  be  overlooked. 
The  affiliation  of  these  young  men  with  other  classes  in 
the  Associations  will  not  be  without  its  social  signifi- 
cance, and  may  perhaps  help  in  solving  some  perplexing 
problems  now  pending  before  the  country. 


SECTION   E. 

OTHER    RACES. 

1. — Immigration  has  filled  many  of  our  American  cities 
with  a  foreign-born  population,  and  to  such  an  extent  that 
there  is  often  a  tendency  to  retain  their  former  language 
and  customs,  with  a  consequent  national  or  race  exclusive- 
ness.  This  is  frequently  so  marked  as  to  render  it  imprac- 
ticable to  reach  the  young  men  through  the  Englisk- 
speaking  Associations.  There  are  also  two  native-born 
races  that  are  best  reached  through  separate  organiza- 
tions, namely,  colored  and  Indian  young  men.  There 
were  twenty-one  Indian  Associations  in  1890,  mostly 
located  in  the  Dakotas.  These  Associations  came  into 
existence  about  1881,  and  were  affiliated  with  the  Interna- 
tional Convention  in  1885.  Their  work  is  mostly  of  a 
religious  nature  and  has  been  very  useful.  The  French 
and  Japanese  have  also  a  single  branch  eacb,  located 
respectively  in  New  York  and  San  Francisco.  The 
multiplication  of  these  organizations  has  not  yet  been 
attempted. 

2. — The  German  Work.^ — In  1890  there  were  ten  German 
organizations,  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  2,398  and 
eleven  paid  officers.  Good  buildings  were  owned  and 
occupied  by  the  branches  in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  St. 

*  For  historical  items  see  Chap.  3,  F,  3,  e. 


382  WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.     Chap.  29,  E,  3. 

Louis,  and  Milwaukee,  and  building  movements  were  in 
progress  elsewhere. 

This  work  is  important  on  account  of  the  large  German 
population  of  many  cities,  but  the  national  temperament 
and  the  conservative  spirit  of  the  German  churches  has 
made  its  beginning  difficult  and  slow.  The  aggressive 
element  must  come  from  the  Germans  themselves,  among 
whom  there  are  few  lay  workers.  Peculiar  methods,  care- 
fully studied  out,  must  be  employed.  Public  and  hasty 
effort  is  repugnant  to  the  German  mind,  and  must  give 
way  to  more  quiet,  thoughtful,  and  gradual  influences.  In 
an  emphatic  sense  will  the  one-by-one  method  prove  suc- 
cessful. The  Bible  class,  with  its  calm  though  direct 
presentation  of  the  truth  and  its  conversational  character, 
is  especially  adapted  to  them.  The  junior  work  is  also 
valuable.  If  the  boys,  before  the  age  of  fixed  habits  and 
prejudices,  can  be  interested  and  attached  to  the  Associa- 
tion, many  of  them  may  be  retained,  giving  an  assurance 
of  large  success  in  the  near  future.  As  an  offset  to  the 
difficulties  of  this  work  it  may  be  said  that  any  substantial 
gains  are  apt  to  be  permanent.  A  form  of  constitution 
designed  for  German  branches  is  published  by  the  Inter- 
national Committee,  through  whose  agency  all  attempts 
at  organization  should  be  made.  Some  other  pamphlets  in 
German  can  be  secured  from  the  committee. 

3. — -The  Colored  Work. — The  Associations  among  colored 
young  men  are  divided  into  two  classes ;  college  or  aca- 
demic and  general.  In  1890  there  were  twenty-two  of  the 
former  and  twelve  of  the  latter.  The  first  colored  general 
secretary  began  work  at  !N'orfolk,  Va.,  early  in  1888.  Sev- 
eral others  have  been  secured  since,  and  the  extension  of 
this  vital  feature  promises  to  give  the  work  a  definiteness 
previously  unknown.  Advance  has  been  made  in  this 
department  cautiously,  (see  Chap.  3,  F,  3,  g),  yet  with  a 
colored  population  of  8,000,000  in  the  country  there  can  be 
no  question  as  to  its  vital  importance.  A  paper  read  at 
the  Philadelphia  Convention,  in  1889,  urged  the  adoption 


Chap.  39,  F,  1.     work  for  special  classes.  383 

of  the  branch  system  in  the  colored  work,  in  order  thut  the 
weaker  organizations  might  have  the  fostering  care  and 
instruction  of  the  older  and  stronger  ones.  Where  this 
plan  is  impracticable,  an  advisory  board  of  leading  white 
citizens  will  prove  very  helpful.  This  plan  is  in  operation 
at  several  points. 


SECTION  F. 

VARIOUS    OTHER    CLASSES. 

1. — Soldiers  and  Sailors. — The  only  Association  now  ex- 
isting among  the  soldiers  of  the  United  States  army  was 
organized  in  November,  1889,  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Va., 
with  twenty-seven  active  and  thirty-nine  associate  mem- 
bers. If  there  were  a  few  Christian  men  to  carry  on  such 
a  work  at  every  army  post,  great  good  might  result. 

A  work  has  been  conducted  for  some  years,  under  direc- 
tion of  Provincial  and  State  Committees,  in  the  annual 
encampments  of  the  militia,  especially  in  Ontario,  New 
York,  and  Illinois.  By  means  of  one  or  more  tents  a  suite 
of  Association  rooms  is  improvised  at  some  eligible  locality 
on  or  near  the  grounds,  and  with  reading  matter,  writing 
materials,  a  cabinet  organ,  and  sundry  toilet  conveniences, 
thrown  open  free  to  all  members  of  the  camp.  Effort  is 
made  to  place  on  file  the  home  papers  of  the  several 
detachments  during  their  stay.  Social  entertainments, 
practical  talks,  and  both  parlor  and  out-door  games  are 
among  the  attractions  offered  ;  and  religious  services  are 
held  as  there  is  opportunity,  in  some  cases  every  day.  An 
experienced  man  should  be  placed  in  charge  of  such  a 
work,  but  helpers  may  be  drawn  from  Associations  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  often  from  among  the  soldiers  them- 
selves, some  of  whom  may  be  active  in  their  home  organi- 
zations. The  helpful  character  of  this  work  has  been  offi- 
cially recognized  by  the  military  authorities,  who  willingly 


384  WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.     Chap.  29,  F,  2. 

second  the  efforts  of  the  Associations.  Not  only  are  the 
men  enabled  to  pass  the  time  while  in  camp  more  pleasantly 
and  profitably,  but  the  attractions  and  the  positive  relig. 
ions  influences  tend  to  keep  them  from  its  peculiar  tempta- 
tions, and  many  have  been  led  into  the  Christian  life. 
Another  good  result  noticed  is  that  many,  both  Christian 
and  non- Christian  men,  have  been  led  to  affiliate  with  the 
Associations  on  their  return  home. 

For  nearly  twenty  years  the  New  York  City  Association 
has  forwarded  weekly  to  a  large  number  of  army  posts 
and  to  some  United  States  vessels  papers  and  magazines 
from  its  reading  rooms.  The  beneficial  results  are  shown 
in  the  following  extracts  from  letters  : 

From  the  Indian  Territory  :  "  I  receive  regularly  the 
papers  and  pamphlets  you  send  me,  and  in  return  send  you 
my  best  thanks.  Representing  as  they  do,  various  nation- 
alities, languages,  and  forms  of  religious  thought,  as  well 
as  secular  pursuits,  these  publications  meet  the  wants  of 
the  army  in  its  varied  elements.  The  soldier  in  his 
frontier  life  needs  such  encouragement ;  needs  the  occa- 
sional memento  that  he  is  still  remembered  in  his  far  awa}' 
home  of  civilization,  and  that  the  prayer  offered  for 
Christ's  church  militant  includes  him  personally." 

From  a  United  States  training  ship  :  "  Could  you  see 
the  boys  gather  around  our  reading  tables  every  evening, 
you  would  comprehend  how  much  your  gift  is  appre- 
ciated, and  what  an  important  and  valuable  factor  these 
papers  can  be  made  in  their  training." 

Work  has  sometimes  been  carried  on  among  the  sailors, 
boatmen,  and  longshoremen,  at  sea  ports,  and  lake  and 
river  towns.  Religious  literature  is  distributed,  personal 
conversation  had  with  the  men,  and  meetings  held,  in  the 
open  air  in  summer  and  perhaps  in  the  cabin  of  some  vessel 
in  the  winter. 

2. — Deaf  Mutes. — Branches  for  such  men  have  been  estab- 
lished in  connection  with  several  Associations.  Shut  out 
3s  they  are  from  many  of  the  social  privileges  of  life,  both 


Chap.  29,  F,  3.      work  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.  385 

secular  and  religious,  they  draw  naturally  upon  Christian 
sympathy,  and  the  Associations  everywhere  should  be 
prompt  to  aid  them,  placing  the  advantages  that  they  can 
use  within  their  reach.  Where  there  are  many,  they  will 
prefer  a  branch  organization,  which  however  may  be  v^ry 
simple.  A  Bible  class,  with  printed  outlines,  and  for  the 
average  mutes  quite  rudimentary,  will  be  the  effort  best 
suited  to  their  religious  needs.  Practical  talks  may  be 
given  by  any  one  through  an  interpreter.  These  may 
well  include  such  moral  and  sanitary  topics  as  personal 
purity,  the  use  of  intoxicants,  and  gambling.  The  edu- 
cated mutes  are  great  readers  and  ajjpreciate  the  reading 
room  and  library.  They  can  also  fully  utilize  the  physical 
department.  Many  of  them  are  peculiarly  graceful  in  the 
use  of  the  so-called  sign  language  taught  in  all  their 
schools,  and  very  apt  in  humorous  pantomime,  and  can 
furnish  occasionally  an  attractive  novelty  for  a  members' 
entertainment.  There  is  said  to  be,  perforce,  a  certain 
moral  obtuseness  among  the  less  cultured  mutes,  but  even 
these  have  often  proved  themselves  capable  of  deep  spir- 
itual convictions  and  experience.  When  well  educated,  as 
very  many  of  them  now  are  through  their  excellent  schools, 
tliey  are  well  up  to  the  average  in  both  intellectual  and 
executive  ability. 

3. — Lmnbermen. — in  some  of  the  northwestern  states 
special  effort  has  been  made  among  the  lumber  camps, 
which  contain  large  numbers  of  men,  separated  from  all 
ordinary  church  privileges  and  often  with  a  low  standard 
of  morals.  The  Wisconsin  State  Committee  has  employed 
several  men  who  spend  their  time  in  passing  from  camp  to 
camp,  holding  religious  services  and  doing  personal  work 
as  they  have  opportunity,  with  excellent  results,  many 
young  men  being  led  to  accept  Christ.  In  the  summer 
they  carry  a  tent  in  which  to  hold  meetings.  Descriptions 
of  their  work  read  like  a  romance.  A  few  other  states 
have  undertaken  the  same  work  on  a  smaller  scale.  Ko 
doubt  it  is  needed  in  many  other  parts  of  the  continent. 


386  WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  CLASSES.     Chap.  29,  F,  4. 

4. — Firemen^  etc. — Effort  has  been  made  in  some  cities 
among  the  men  of  the  fire  department,  policemen,  and  the 
street  car  employees  ;  papers  have  been  distributed,  and 
sometimes  religious  meetings  held  at  the  various  stations, 
or  special  receptions  given  at  the  rooms.  A  branch  Asso- 
ciation of  street  railway  men  was  organized  in  San  Fran- 
cisco in  1891. 


OHAI^TER.  30. 

WOMEJTS  WORK  FOR  YOUNQ-  MEN.'' 


1. — Although  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  is 
an  organized  work  for  and  by  young  men,  yet  woman's 
influence  and  effort  cannot  well  be  dispensed  with.  She 
has  special  aptitude  for  many  things  that  men  do  but 
poorly,  and  is  ever  ready  to  exert  herself  in  matters  that 
so  closely  concern  her  sons  and  brothers. 

2. — Some  method  of  organization  is  needed  to  make 
such  service  most  effective.  A  common  plan  has  been  to 
call  the  ladies  tog^ether  and  form  a  committee  or  commit- 
tees  for  any  special  work  as  occasion  required.  A  more 
permanent  organization,  however,  has  usually  been  pre- 
ferred. The  two  forms  in  general  use  are  commonly  dis- 
tinguished as  the  "  auxiliary "  and  the  "  committee " 
methods.  The  first  of  these,  known  as  the  women's  auxil- 
iary, and  which  was  popular  for  some  years,  consists  of  a 
fully  organized  society,  really  independent  of  the  Associa- 
tion except  as  its  name  implies,  and  an  article  of  its  con- 
stitution specifies,  that  it  is  to  aid  the  Association  in  its 
work  for  young  men. 

3. — The  objections  to  this  arrangement  are  that  its 
machinery  is  unnecessarily  cumbersome  ;  that  the  organic 
connection  with  the  Association  is  not  close  enough  ;  and 
that  there  is  consequently  a  liability  to  drift  into  in- 
definite forms  of  work,  to  the  detriment  of  the  real  object. 
The  sentiment  of  the  Associations  of  late  favors  the  second 

*  This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  66. 


388  WOMEN'S  WORK  FOR  YOUNG  MEN.    Chap.  30,  4. 

or  committee  plan,  by  which  there  is  appointed  annuall}^, 
in  the  same  manner  as  tlie  regular  standing  or  department 
committees  of  the  Association,  a  "women's  committee," 
numbering  perhaps  from  five  to  fifteen,  the  chairman  being 
named  by  the  president.  As  much  of  the  success  of  the 
committee  will  depend  upon  the  efficiency  of  the  chairman, 
she  needs  to  be  a  woman  of  executive  ability  and  genuine 
popularity  among  her  sex. 

4. — Whatever  the  form  of  organization  there  must  be  a 
wise  discrimination  in  making  up  the  pe7'S07inelj  especially 
at  the  beginning.  After  securing  the  consent  of  some 
capable  Avoman  to  be  chairman,  it  is  well  to  consult  with 
her  regarding  the  selection  of  the  members.  Undue  haste 
will  do  harm.  The  various  denominations  should  be  rep- 
resented and  choice  made  from  each  church  of  those  who 
combine  mature  and  earnest  Christian  character  with 
leadership.  Attention  must  also  be  given  to  congeniality, 
or  work-together-ableness.  The  machinery  should  be  sim- 
ple. A  chairman,  secretary,  treasurer,  and  a  standing 
committee  for  each  department  of  work  in  which  the 
ladies  are  actively  interested  outline  the  average  working 
plan.  An  executive  committee,  to  be  intrusted  with  the 
more  direct  management,  msij  include  the  chairmen  of  the 
general  and  standing  committees.  Written  reports  should 
be  submitted  to  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Association. 

S? — Meetings,  if  j^i'operly  conducted  and  not  held  too 
often,  will  tend  to  awaken  and  hold  interest  in  the  organi- 
zation. There  should  be  detailed  reports  from  all  commit- 
tees, and  methods  of  work  may  be  suggested  and  discussed. 
Earnest  prayer  for  the  work  among  young  men  is  also  an 
essential  feature.  The  general  secretary  of  the  Associa- 
tion, who  is  usually  an  ex-officio  member  of  the  women's 
committee,  may  be  present  during  some  part  of  the  meet- 
ing to  report  the  work  and  needs  of  the  Association  and 
counsel  regarding  plans.  The  committee  should  also  re- 
port statedly  to  the  Association.  An  anniversary  to  which 
the  ladies  of  the  community  are  invited,  where  full  reports 


Chap.  30,  9.    women's  work  for  youngs  me im^.  359 

are  presented  and  an  address  given  regarding  tlie  work, 
would  lead  to  a  broader  knowledge  and  interest.  This 
might  be  greatly  emphasized  if  followed  by  a  reception, 
including  an  inspection  of  the  Association  building  and 
methods. 

6. — The  followmg  outline  of  sub-committees  with  their 
respective  duties  is  suggestive  : 

(a)  Rooms. — To  supervise  the  housekeeping,  the  order 
and  cleanliness  of  the  apartments,  the  furnishing,  decora- 
tions, and  the  many  details  that  few  men  have  the  tact  or 
knowledge  to  attend  to. 

{b)  Social  Work. — To  assist  the  corresponding  com- 
mittee of  the  Association,  especially  in  arranging  for  the 
entertainment  programme  at  receptions,  and  in  providing 
and  serving  refreshments.  (See  Chap.  26,  C,  7.)  Some- 
times this  committee  enlists  the  women  of  different 
churches,  in  rotation,  to  look  after  these  matters  at  suc- 
cessive receptions. 

It  may  also  provide  flowers,  fruit,  and  such  delicacies  as 
are  needed  by  sick  young  men  whom  the  Association  is 
caring  for. 

(c)  Library. — To  secure  either  funds  or  books,  by 
such  methods  as  their  ingenuity  may  suggest  and  their  in- 
dustry carry  out. 

7. — On  special  occasions  the  chairman  of  the  women's 
committee,  with  the  approval  of  the  president  of  the  As- 
sociation, may  appoint  temporary  sub-committees,  their 
chairmen  being  members  of  the  committee,  but  others 
being  invited  to  serve  upon  them. 

8. — The  committee  may  render  valuable  aid  by  en- 
couraging their  friends  among  young  men  and  boj^s  to 
identify  themselves  with  the  Association,  and  among  older 
men  to  give  it  both  a  moral  and  a  financial  support.  Also 
by  sending  to  the  office  of  the  Association  the  names  and 
addresses  of  young  men  who  are  strangers  in  the  place. 

9. — They  often  co-operate  in  special  efforts  to  raise 
funds.     In  two  instances  about  $8,000  was  raised  by  them 


390  WOMEN'S  WORK  FOR  \OUNG  MEN.      Chap.  30, 10. 

towards  an  Association  building,  and  in  anotlier  case  a 
large  library  was  collected  by  occasional  labor  in  a  little 
over  a  year.  The  furnishing  of  a  new  building  is  often 
undertaken  by  them. 

10. — In  the  railroad  work  women  aid  in  A-isiting  the  sick 
and  injured,  and  in  obtaining  places  for  holding  cottage 
meetings  and  giving  invitations  to  the  same. 

11. — Great  care  should  be  taken  that  entertainments  in 
connection  with  an  Association,  or  for  its  benefit,  do  not 
offend  the  Christian  sensibilities  of  the  members  of  any  of 
the  churches.  This  matter  has  sometimes  been  disregarded, 
with  serious  detriment  to  the  work. 

12. — See  appendix,  sample  Ko.  58,  for  rules  suggested 
for  the  committee. 


FOURTH  DIVISION. 
GENERAL  SUPERVISION  AND  EXTENSION. 


CHAPTER  31. 

8TATM  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK* 


SECTION  A. 

GROWTH  AND  OEGANIZATION. 

1  —The  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  began  in 
America  with  the  organization  of  isolated  and  independ- 
ent societies,  having  no  organic  connection  and  scarcely  a 
knowledge   of    each    other's    existence.     The  ""^"^J-^ 
Association  has  absolute  local  jurisdiction,  andisaccoi.ed 
direct  representation   in  the   conventions,  both  sta  e  and 
international,  under  the  active  membership  test  and  such 
other  rules  as  are  established  by  these  bodies.     Ihe  con- 
Tentions  just -mentioned  are  the  only  legislative  bodies  of 
the  Associations  ;  while  in  the  system  of  executive  com- 
mittees, with  their  secretaries,  correspondence,  and  publi- 
cations, acting  under  the  instructions  of  *e  conventions 
and  covering  the  entire  field  with  a  net-work  of  helpfu 
supervision,   are  included  th^man^^dvnritages,  with.out 

^^^^^^^^^^^^™^°[^ 

relation  of  tlae  State  Committee  to  the  State  Secretary  aua 
tion  F  as  No.  69,  "The  District  Work". 


392  STATE  AND   PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  A,  2. 

the  objectionable  features,  of  a  strongly  centralized  organi- 
zation. 

2. — The  first  American  convention  of  these  Associations 
met  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  in  June  1854,  and  a  permanent 
organization  was  effected  by  the  appointment  of  a  central 
committee  with  instructions  to  call  a  similar  meeting 
annually.  The  state  organizations  had  their  rise  twelve 
years  later,  through  a  resolution  of  the  Albany  Conven- 
tion (1866),  instructing  the  corresponding  members  for 
the  several  states  to  call  an  annual  convention  in  each. 
Four  such  meetings  were  held  that  year,  and  ten  the  year 
following.  Previous  to  this  the  International  Convention 
was  the  one  representative  body,  and  the  only  general 
supervision  was  that  given,  first  by  its  executive  com- 
mittee, and  later  by  corresponding  members  of  the  com- 
mittee located  in  each  state  and  province.  The  action  at 
Albany  Avas  very  opportune,  occurring  as  it  did  at  the 
close  of  the  war,  and  just  as  the  true  aims  and  principles 
of  the  organization  were  becoming  more  generally  under- 
stood, accepted,  and  emphasized  than  at  any  previous  time. 
State  work,  cultivating  many  fields  in  a  detailed  way  im- 
possible to  a  single  central  committee,  led  to  the  rapid 
and  well-ordered  growth  of  the  subsequent  period. 

3. — The  following  examples  illustrate  the  variety  of 
method  in  the  formative  period  of  the  state  work  : 

a.  Ohio  established  a  state  organization  at  its  first 
convention  in  1867.  It  comprised  a  State  Association, 
made  up  of  delegates,  not  less  than  three  nor  more  than 
fifteen,  from  each  Association  in  the  state  ;  officers,  includ- 
ing a  corresponding  secretary,  who  should  also  act  as  cor- 
responding member  of  the  International  Committee  for 
Ohio  ;  and  an  executive  committee  consisting  of  the  corre- 
sponding secretary  as  chairman  ex  officio,  and  four  others 
to  be  elected  at  each  annual  meeting.  This  committee 
was  to  have  '*  sub-committees  "  of  three  each  at  six  speci- 
fied centers  in  the  state, — to  all  practical  purposes  district 
committees.     At  the  third  annual  meeting,  in   1869,  the 


Chap.  31,  A,  4.    state  and  provincial  work.  393 

executive  committee  recommended  the  employment  of  a 
paid  agent.  Such  an  agent  was  employed  a  part  of  the 
time  from  1874,  and  regularly  from  1877. 

h.  New  York  held  its  first  State  Convention  in  1866. 
In  1867  the  state  was  divided  into  nineteen  districts,  each 
with  a  secretary  to  act  under  the  corresponding  member 
of  the  International  Committee  for  the  state.  An  execu- 
tive committee  was  not  formed  till  1869.  Visiting  agents 
were  employed  temporarily  as  early  as  1871,  but  the  first 
State  Secretary,  George  A.  Hall,  was  engaged  in  1876, 
and  the  same  year  a  state  constitution  was  adopted. 

c.  Pennsylvania  also  held  a  convention  in  1866,  but 
not  again  till  1869,  at  which  time  an  executive  committee 
was  formed.  In  1870,  the  committee  recommended  such 
a  location  of  its  members  and  such  a  subdivision  of  the 
state  as  to  insure  more  thorough  organization,  which 
was  carried  into  effect.  At  the  fourth  convention,  in 
1871,  the  employment  of  a  State  Secretary  was  authorized, 
and  S.  A.  Taggart  was  engaged,  being  the  first  officer  of 
this  class  placed  permanently  in  the  field. 

4. — The  beginnings  of  state  and  provincial  work, 
1866-1874. 

On  June  5,  1866,  the  Albany  International  Convention 
passed  the  following  resolution  :  **  Resolved,  that  the 
convention  instruct  the  corresponding  member  of  the 
executive  committee  of  each  state,  district,  territory,  and 
province  to  call  a  convention  of  Associations  in  such  state, 
district,  territory,  and  province  annually  in  the  autumn." 

The  first  conventions  in  the  several  states  and  provinces 
during  these  early  years  of  the  work  were  held  in  the  fol- 
lowing order  : 

1866,   Sept.  27-29,  "Northwestern  States",  Milwaukee, 
Wis. 

"      Oct.    24-25,   New  York,  Oswego. 

"      Nov.  16,  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia. 

'       21-22,  Maryland  and  District  of  Columbia, 
Baltimore,  Md. 


« 


394  STATE   AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  A,  5. 

1867,  May     21-22,  Connecticut,  New  Haven. 
"      Oct.        1-2,     New  Jersey,  Elizabeth. 

"        "  8-7,  Maritime  Provinces,  Halifax,  N.  S. 

"        "  10-11,  Massachusetts,  Springfield. 

"        "  16-17,  Maine,  Lewiston. 

"      Nov.  8-10,  Ohio,  Columbus. 

1868,  Aug.  11,  New  Hampshire,  Manchester. 

"      Oct.  28-29,  Ontario  and  Quebec,  Toronto,  Ont. 

"      Dec.  1-2,  Michigan,  Marshall. 

"         "  3-4,  Rhode  Island,  Providence. 

1869,  April  6-7,  Iowa,  Cedar  Rapids. 

"      May      13-14,  California,  San  Francisco. 
"      Oct.        6-7,     Indiana,  La  Fayette. 

1870,  Nov.       3-5,     Wisconsin,  Janesville. 

*'      Dec.      21-22,  Minnesota,  Minneapolis. 

1871,  "  1-3,     West  Virginia,  Clarksburg. 

1872,  Sept.  5-7,  Alabama,  Selma. 

1873,  Nov.  6-9,  Illinois,  Bloomington. 
"      Dec.  5-7,  Kansas,  Lawrence. 

1874,  Dec.  17,  Virginia,  Richmond. 

To  the  close  of  1890  five  hundred  and  seventj^-one  such 
conventions  were  held. 

5. — The  most  approved  method  of  state  organization  at 
present  is  the  formation  of  a  State  Association,  under  a 
constitution  embodying  the  fundamental  principles  and 
prevalent  usages  of  the  institution,  and  incorporated,  in 
order  to  be  legally  qualified  to  accept  and  control  gifts  and 
legacies.  A  form  suggested  by  the  International  Com- 
mittee provides  for  an  annual  meeting  of  representatives 
from  the  afiiliating  Associations,  and  for.  a  State  Com- 
mittee, in  which  is  vested  the  executive  powers  of  the 
State  Association.  A  fixed  proportion  of  its  members  are 
elected  annually,  for  a  term  extending  over  several  years. 
See  Int.  pph.  No.  634. 


Chap.  31,  B,  2.    state  and  provincial  work.  395 


SECTION  B. 

THE  STATE  COMMITTEE. 

1^ The   raerabers   of   the   committee   shoiikl  be  men  of 

recognized  weight  of  character  both  as  Christians  and  as 
men  of  affairs  ;  tliey  shoukl  be  broad-minded  men,  as  much 
interested  in  the  work  throughout  the  state  as  in  that  at 
their  own  homes  ;  and,  if  possible,  men  with  practical 
experience,  and  able  to  devote  some  time  to  the  state  work. 
As  a  rule,  only  one  or  two  general  secretaries  should  be 
members  of  each  State  Committee.  Among  the  members 
there  will  often  be  men  of  wealth  and  influence,  but  such 
qualifications  are  by  no  means  the  most  essential.  It  is 
desirable  that  the  leading  Associations  and  the  different 
denominations  be  represented,  if  they  can  furnish  suitable 
men.  The  committee,  as  a  w^hole  and  individually,  must 
work  in  harmony  with  the  body  appointing  it.  It  is  usual 
to  locate  the  committee  headquarters  at  a  strong  Associa- 
tion center,  and  for  a  series  of  years  if  not  permanently/. 
Several  good  men  cai  generally  be  obtained  at  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  such  a  ciiy,  as  the  nucleus  of  the  committee. 
Meetings  should  be  held  only  often  enough  to  secure  a 
thorough  supervision  of  the  work.  Notice  should  be  given 
in  time  for  members  to  offer  written  suggestions  if  pre- 
vented from  attending,  and  a  summary  of  transactions 
should  be  sent  to  members  whether  present  or  absent. 
Meetings,  although  usually  occurring  at  headquarters,  are 
sometimes  held  in  connection  with  conventions  or  with 
special  pushing  of  the  work  in  different  parts  of  the  state. 

2. — The  work  of  the  committee  comprises  a  general  and 
thorough  supervision  of  the  whole  field,  and  may  be  classi- 
fied as  follows  : 

a.  General  oversight  of  the  local  Associations,  stimu- 
lating and  encouraging  their  work,  suggesting  new  and 
improved  methods,  correcting  mistakes,  and  giving  advice 
and  aid  in  times  of  difiicult}^ 


396  STATE  AND   PROVINCIAIi  WORK.      Chap.  81,  B,  3, 

b.  Projecting  and  carrying  out  plans  of  extension — 
organizing  Associations,  and  introducing  work  for  special 
classes. 

c.  Stimulating  a  general  interest  in  work  for  young 
men,  and  aiding  the  introduction  of  its  practicable  forms 
in  small  towns  and  country  districts. 

d.  Seeking  out  and  developing  men  to  enter  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Associations,  and  advising  with  regard  to 
appointments  and  changes. 

e.  Engaging  and  directing  the  salaried  agents  of  the 
committee. 

f.  Planning  for  and  suj^ervising  the  state  and  district 
conventions. 

(/.  Gathering  and  tabulating  statistics,  and  preserving 
full  historical  records  of  the  work. 

h.  Editing  the  committee's  publications,  including  the 
bulletin,  the  convention  reports,  and  circulars  of  informa- 
tion to  the  Associations  ;  and  preparing  such  matter  for 
the  religious  and  secular  press  as  shall  keep  the  general 
public  instructed  regarding  the  character  and  j^rogress  of 
the  work.  The  convention  reports  may  be  given  a  perma- 
nent value  by  the  exclusion  of  trivial  matters,  and  by 
judicious  presentation  of  the  gist  of  the  papers  and  discus- 
sions. 

i.  Providing  ways  and  means  for  the  state  work. 
j.  The  successful  work  of  some  State  Committees  in 
militia  encampments  is  described  in  chapter  29,  F,  1. 

3. — It  is  essential  that  the  members  of  the  committee, 
through  personal  visitation  and  correspondence,  become 
acquainted  with  the  field,  including  the  condition  and 
possibilities  of  the  work,  and  the  number  and  character  of 
the  Avorkers.  Considerable  information  on  such  matters 
will  also  reach  them  through  visiting  agents  and  district 
committees.  Much  may  also  be  gained  by  attending  con- 
ventions, and  by  careful  perusal  of  j^eriodical  and  other 
publications.  There  should  be  a  systematic  exchange  of 
reports   among  the  several  State  Committees,  a  set  being 


Chap.  31,  B,  6.    state  and  provincial  work.  397 

bound  for  office  reference,  and  others,  if  possible,  being 
put  into  the  hands  of  the  members.  The  state  reports 
should  also  be  regularly  filed  in  every  public  library  in 
the  state.  A  knowledge  of  the  work  in  other  fields  will 
broaden  the  interest  of  the  committee  and  give  many 
practical  suggestions. 

4. — Several  standing  sub-committees  are  usually  ap- 
pointed. Much  in  the  line  of  supervision  and  extension 
will  be  accomplished  through  the  district  organizations 
and  the  salaried  agents,  and  to  the  latter  will  be  referred 
many  other  details,  yet  each  committee  should  conduct 
visitation  and  correspondence,  and  should  be  held  account- 
able for  the  work  in  its  particular  department.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  suggestive  list  of  standing  committees  :  (a) 
Business,  to  act  for  the  State  Committee  in  the  intervals 
between  its  meetings  ;  (b)  District  work,  to  have  general 
charge  of  the  Associations  and  organize  new  ones  by 
means  of  a  thorough  district  organization  ;  (c)  Associa- 
tions, to  receive  and  report  on  applications  for  membership 
in  the  State  Association ;  (cl)  Finance,  to  provide  ways 
and  means,  recommend  a  budget,  and  audit  accounts ; 
(e)  Extension  fund;  (/)  Publication;  (g)  Bible  study; 
(A)  Educational  work  ;  (^)  Physical  work  ;  (j)  Personal 
purity  ;  (k)  Boys'  work  ;  (I)  College  work  ;  (m)  Railroad 
work  ;  (n)  Work  among  non-English  speaking  young 
men  ;  (0)  Work  among  commercial  travelers.  Many  states, 
especially  in  the  early  years  of  their  work,  will  not  need 
all  these  committees.  The  smallest  number  that  will  do 
the  work  thoroughly  is  always  best. 

5. — The  several  standing  committees  should  report  in 
writing  at  least  quarterly,  and  at  the  meeting  just  previous 
to  the  State  Convention  should  make  a  full  and  careful 
statement  of  the  year's  work,  including  tabulated  statistics. 

6. — Effort  should  be  made  to  gather  for  permanent  refer- 
ence at  headquarters  everything  possible  in  connection  with 
the  Association  work,  both  general  and  local  ;  including 
annual  reports,  bulletins,  constitutions  and  by-laws,  and 


398  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  C,  1. 

samples  of  printed  matter.  The  reports  and  bulletins 
may  be  bound  by  cities,  and  the  samples,  classified  by  the 
decimal  system  suggested  in  chapter  12,  7,  mav  be  kept 
in  large  manilla  envelopes  or  in  boxes.  Nev/spaper  and 
magazine  articles  may  be  preserved  in  the  same  way. 
The  material  thus  preserved  will  soon  become  of  decided 
practical  and  historical  value.  Important  manuscripts, 
including  written  reports,  should  either  be  copied,  or  fast- 
tened  on  stubs  in  bound  books,  for  easy  reference.  A 
large  wall  map  of  the  field,  with  the  Associations  plainly 
indicated  on  it,  will  be  useful  in  public  meetings.  Small 
copies  of  the  map  may  be  inserted  in  reports  and  bulletins. 


SECTION  C. 

FINANCES. 

1. — Financial  matters  should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of 
good  business  men,  who  will  carefully  oversee  them, 
though  not  necessarily  attending  personally  to  all  the 
details.  They  will  see  that  a  good  system  of  accounts  is 
adopted,  and  that  disbursements  are  made  only  to  the 
amounts  and  for  the  purj^oses  for  which  appropriations 
have  been  made  by  the  State  Committee.  They  should 
work  on  a  definite  plan,  including  an  estimate  of  expendi- 
tures, of  the  sources  of  revenue,  and  the  best  ways  of 
raising  it.  The  annual  report  of  the  treasurer  should  com- 
prise the  receipts  in  detail,  and  a  statement  of  expendi- 
tures grouped  under  proper  heads.  Full  vouchers  should 
be  submitted  for  audit  at  the  annual  convention. 

2. — There  are  many  difiiculties  in  the  way  of  raising  the 
needed  funds.  Unlike  the  individual  Associations,  the 
state  organization  has  no  personal  constituency  peculiarly 
its  own,  but  appeals  largely  to  men  already  having  local 
work  to  care  for,  and  not  always  disposed  to  realize  or 
admit  a  further  obligation.    The  field  is  wide  and  must  be 


Chap.  31,  C,  B.      STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.  399 

worked  at  arm's  length,  afforclmg  little  opportunity  to 
impress  men  with  the  true  value  of  the  service.  Indeed, 
much  of  this  work,  often  the  more  important  part  of  it, 
can  neither  be  tabulated  nor  easily  explained  to  the  j)ublic. 
Giving  toward  its  support  must  have  a  broader  motive 
than  mere  local  and  direct  benefit,  although  few  Associa- 
tions are  unreached  by  the  helpful  hand  of  the  state  work, 
and  many  owe  their  present  life  and  prosperity  to  its 
timely  and  fostering  care. 

3. — It  is  customary  to  look  first  to  the  Associations, 
as  such,  and  the  plan  commonly  adopted  of  receiving  their 
subscriptions  at  the  annual  convention  is  described  in 
section  E,  3,  d.  Not  only  the  organizations  represented 
at  this  meeting,  but  every  Association  in  the  state,  should 
give  generously  each  year,  providing  for  the  amount  in 
the  annual  budget  and  paying  at  as  early  a  date  as  possi- 
ble. Quite  a  sum  will  be  subscribed  personally  by  mem- 
bers of  the  State  Committee  and  other  delegates  at  the 
convention,  and  by  others  who  are  not  present  there — the 
stand-bys,  so  to  speak,  of  the  work.  A  small  amount  may 
be  realized  from  collections  during  the  convention  and 
from  the  sale  of  reports.  The  remainder  must  be  gathered 
b}^  personal  solicitation,  either  before  or  after  the  conven- 
tion, preferably  before.  Appeal  will  naturally  be  made 
first  to  those  who  are  closely  identified  with  the  work  ;  but 
there  is  besides  a  large  class  of  generous  and  public- 
spirited  persons,  many  of  whom  give  systematically  to  a 
variety  of  objects,  who  can  be  led  to  include  this  cause  in 
their  list  of  benefactions.  The  permanent  or  running  sub- 
scription plan  is  used  to  good  advantage  in  some  states. 
A  canvass  of  Association  towns  by  one  of  the  assistant 
state  secretaries  a  few  weeks  before  the  convention  has 
been  found  very  useful  in  some  states.  The  State  Com- 
mittee, with  its  knowledge  of  local  circumstances,  may 
suggest  through  this  representative  the  amount  that  may 
be  expected  from  each  Association,  including  contribu- 
tions from  individuals.     The  visiting  secretary  should  in- 


400  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  D,  1. 

sure  the  raismg  of  money  by  local  men,  if  possible  ;  but, 
if  he  cannot  accomplish  this,  he  may  aid  in  securing  it. 

Although  personal  visitation  of  some  such  description 
must  be  largely  depended  upon,  the  work  may  be  stimu- 
lated by  correspondence  and  the  judicious  use  of  printed 
matter,  and  especially  by  securing  the  attendance  of  gen- 
erously minded  persons  at  conventions  or  parlor  confer- 
ences. The  latter  are  especially  practical,  as  they  can  be 
arranged  for  at  many  convenient  points,  and  a  number  of 
the  people  desired  can  be  brought  together  at  each.  (See 
Chap.  20,  C. )  Every  State  Committee  should  aim  to  se- 
cure an  endowment  fund,  and  with  well-directed  effort 
many  stated  contributors  may  be  led  to  make  bequests  to 
it.  A  plan  of  systematic  giving,  including  the  state  work 
among  its  objects,  is  described  in  chapter  32,  C,  10,  e. 


SECTION  D. 

THE    STATE    SECKETARY. 

1. — As  the  directors  of  a  local  Association  need  a  gen- 
eral secretary  to  develop  its  work,  still  more  does  a  State 
Committee  require  a  similar  officer.  His  necessary  quali- 
fications are  much  like  those  already  outlined  for  a  local 
secretary  (see  Chaps.  10-12),  and  include  earnestness,  tact, 
mature  judgment,  culture,  and  especially  executive  capa- 
city. His  knowledge  of  methods  must  be  comprehensive 
as  well  as  thorough,  such  as  can  be  gained  only  by  ex- 
l^erience  in  the  local  work,  coupled  with  close  observation 
and  study.  Special  aptness  in  such  lines  as  business 
management,  organization,  and  securing  funds  will  be 
very  helpful.  He  must  possess  another  gift,  not  always 
essential  in  the  local  officer,  that  of  acceptable  public 
speaking.  Much  of  his  contact  with  communities  will 
be  through  the  public  meeting,  and  he  should  be  able 
to  present  his  thoughts  in  a  clear,  forcible,  and  attractive 


Chap.  31,  D,  2.     sta.te  and  provincial  work.  401 

luanner,  so  as  to  impress  men  in  the  aggregate  as  well  as 
individually. 

2. — The  State  Secretary  will  be  obliged  to  guard  him- 
self personally  at  many  points.  Away  from  home  and 
traveling  much  of  the  time,  uniformly  busy  and  generally 
occupied  during  the  evenings  either  in  consultation  or  a 
public  meeting,  irregularity  in  meals  and  sleep  is  inevita- 
ble. Add  to  this  a  constant  excitement  of  sympathy  and 
anxiety,  with  the  expenditure  of  nerve  force  in  stimulating 
others — often  the  discouraged  or  the  apathetic — to  faith 
and  activity,  and  a  fund  of  health  and  strength  is  needed 
to  start  Avith  and  the  utmost  care  in  preserving  it.  The 
same  conditions  make  it  difficult  to  maintain  that  routine 
of  personal  religious  duties  which  is  always  so  helpful, 
and  only  great  watchfulness  will  prevent  a  spiritual  loss, 
even  while  actively  engaged  in  work  for  others.  Again, 
not  only  must  he  keep  pace  with  the  progress  of  the  Asso- 
ciation work  in  his  own  and  other  fields,  but  his  general 
reading  and  study  must  be  broad.  Constantly  thrown  in 
contact  with  men  of  affairs  and  of  culture,  he  must  be  able 
to  converse  with  them  intelligently.  As  he  belongs  to 
the  Associations  of  his  state,  his  heart  must  be  big  enough 
to  take  them  all  in,  without  any  partiality  unless  it  be  to 
the  weaker  ones.  The  closer  his  personal  contact  with  local 
boards  and  general  secretaries,  the  greater  will  be  his 
knowledge  of  them  and  his  power  to  aid  them.  His  counsel 
will  be  sought  in  many  matters,  and  if  wise  he  may  not 
only  advise  but  criticise  and  reprove,  to  the  great  benefit 
of  the  secretaries  and  the  work.  He  should  strive  especi- 
ally to  promote  Bible  study  and  faithful  work  in  all  spirit- 
ual lines.  He  must  always  be  careful  of  his  personal  ex- 
ample. Many  opportunities  will  be  afforded  him  to  con- 
duct religious  services,  and  he  should  be  prepared  to  make 
the  most  of  them.  He  may  create  or  renew  interest  in 
Bible  study  by  holding  a  model  training  class.  An  earnest 
man  will  also  find  abundant  opportunity  for  personal 
work. 


402  STATE  AND   PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap,  31,  D,  3. 

3. — Among  the  items  of  work  falling,  some  more,  some 
less,  to  the  State  Secretary  are  the  following  : 

a.  Ofiice  work,  Avhich  will  embrace  a  voluminous  cor- 
respondence ;  preparing  and  sending  out  many  blanks  and 
circulars  ;  securing  reports  from  Associations,  secretaries, 
and  district  organizations ;  tabulating  statistics  and  keep- 
ing records  ;  and  the  editing,  publishing,  and  distributing 
of  j^rinted  matter. 

h.  Personal  supervision  ;  visiting  the  Associations  at 
least  annually^  devoting  tlie  most  time  to  those  newly 
organized  or  in  difficulty.  On  such  occasions  the  secretary 
should  endeavor  to  meet  either  the  Association  or  its  board 
of  directors,  giving  timely  notice  of  his  coming,  that  both 
he  and  the  Association  may  get  the  most  from  the  visit. 

c.  Extension  ;  investigating  and  advising  as  to  the 
readiness  of  new  fields,  and,  when  the  decision  is  favor- 
able, aiding  in  the  formation  of  Associations. 

d.  Looking  up  young  men  who  seem  to  be  adapted  to 
Association  work,  presenting  to  them  its  possibilities  for 
usefulness,  and  providing  for  their  practical  training 
when  they  have  given  themselves  to  it.  Advising  and 
aiding  as  to  desired  changes  among  employed  officers,  and 
the  calling  of  men  to  new  fields. 

e.  Finance  ;  obtaining  funds  for  state  work,  and  aid- 
ing local  Associations  in  efforts  to  secure  buildings,  or 
employ  secretaries,  or  meet  serious  financial  emergencies. 

f.  Arranging  for  the  various  conventions,  state,  dis- 
trict, and  local,  and  stimulating  the  attendance.  The  sec- 
retary should  uniformly  be  present  and  an  active  factor, 
but  as  far  as  possible  keep  personally  in  the  background. 

4. — It  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  above  outline  em- 
braces more  than  one  man's  work.  Ko  State  Secretary 
can  be  considered  efficient  unless  he  secures  much  volun- 
teer  service  from  members  of  the  State  Committee  and 
others,  still  an  office  assistant  is  generally  needed,  and 
often  a  third  man,  who  can  devote  several  weeks,  on  an 
urgent  call,  to  a  single  Association,  putting  it  upon  a  per- 


Chap.  31,  E,  1.      STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  Y/ORK.  403 

manent  financial  and  worldng  basis.  A  man  speciall}^ 
adapted  to  college  or  railroad  work  has  also  in  some  cases 
been  advantageously  added  to  the  force.  Some  State 
Committees  have  found  use  for  seven  or  eight  men. 


SECTION  E. 

THE    STATE    CONVENTION.* 

1. — Preparatory  work, — by  the  State  Committee. — The 
details  of  this  work  include  a  conference  with  the  local 
management  for  mutual  information  ;  2:)reparation  of  the 
programme,  including  the  selection  of  topics  and  speak- 
ers ;  securing  rates  of  transportation  ;  issuing  of  invita- 
tion circulars;  advertising;  and  correspondence  and  visi- 
tation for  the  purpose  of  securing  a  general  representation 
at  the  meeting. 

a.  Place  aiid  time. — The  former  is  generally  fixed  by 
vote  the  previous  year,  the  claims  of  several  places  being 
often  urged  in  the  convention.  An  effort  to  secure  a  new 
building,  or  some  other  local  need,  frequently  influences 
the  vote,  otherwise  geographical  considerations  may  de- 
termine the  choice.  From  its  knowledge  of  the  whole 
field  the  State  Committee  is  qualified  to  make  wise  sug- 
gestions, and  may  aid  in  securing  invitations  from  desir 
able  localities.  The  selection  of  the  place  is  often  and 
advantageously  referred  to  the  State  Committee. 

The  time  of  the  annual  meeting  varies  in  the  different 
states,  the  aim  being  to  fix  a  date  that  will  secure  the 
fullest  and  most  representative  attendance.  The  approxi- 
mate date  is  usually  continued  from  year  to  year,  but  the 
convenience  of  the  local  Association  is  always  considered. 
The  sessions  continue  from  two  to  four  days,  usually  last- 
ing over  Sunday.  The  hour  of  opening  is  sometimes  gov- 
erned by  the  arrival  of  the  principal  trains  or  boats. 

*  This  section  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  G8. 


404  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  E,  1. 

h.  The  Programme. — (1)  This  must  be  outlined  early. 
The  proceedings  of  former  conventions  will  indicate  mat- 
ters to  be  emphasized  or  avoided,  and  suggestions  should 
be  gathered  from  workers  throughout  the  state.  The 
Association  entertaining  the  convention  should  also  be 
consulted,  and  all  consistent  effort  made  to  render  the 
gathering  a  local  benefit.  The  many  phases  of  the  work, 
each  one  immediately  important  to  those  engaged  in  it, 
and  the  continued  develojDment  of  new  features,  make  it 
practically  impossible  to  present  them  all,  even  briefly. 
And  yet  each  convention  is  a  training  school,  and  there 
are  many  one-j^ear  pupils  ;  it  is  important  that  the  annual 
curriculum  be  as  comprehensive  as  possible.  The  parlor 
conferences,  which  take  the  place  of  the  whole  or  part  of 
a  session,  and  which  are  arranged  for  in  connection  with 
the  local  committee,  afford  opportunity  for  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  variety  of  topics. 

(2)  The  programme  should  grow  in  variety  and  attrac- 
tiveness every  year,  and  something  new  can  generally  be 
found  for  it.  Careful  study  of  the  work  in  other  states 
will  often  suggest  such  topics.  Many  subjects,  such  as 
the  best  methods  of  state  work  and  the  study  of  the 
Bible,  need  constant  discussion,  but  they  can  be  turned 
around  and  a  fresh  side  presented.  And  yet  in  the  effort  to 
secure  freshness  the  presentation  of  fundamental  principles 
must  not  be  overlooked.  The  more  advanced  methods 
may  be  unintelligible  to  some  of  the  new  men  present.  All 
the  themes  should  be  practical  and  be  practically  treated. 
The  wording  of  the  topics  should  be  clear  and  precise. 
This  is  the  first  essential  to  their  direct,  instructive  treat- 
ment. But,  in  order  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  misunder- 
standing, the  committee  should  give  each  writer  further 
definite  suggestion  as  to  what  is  desired.  Papers  are  apt 
to  be  too  long.  If  they  were  winnowed,  and  only  the  ker- 
nel given,  time  would  be  saved  for  their  informal  discus- 
sion, which  is  sometimes  of  greater  practical  value  than 
the  papers  themselves. 


Chap.  31,  E,  1.      STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.  405 

(3)  Both  tact  and  experience  are  needed  in  selecting 
persons  to  participate  in  the  convention.  The  announce- 
ment of  their  names  ought  to  guarantee  an  interesting  and 
profitable  meeting.  New  men  should  be  introduced  every 
year,  including  some  from  outside  the  state.  Men  from 
the  smaller  towns  should  not  be  excluded,  and  should  be 
allowed  to  speak  from  their  own  standpoint.  City  speak- 
ers are  apt  to  describe  only  city  methods,  and  it  should  be 
remembered  that  these  Associations,  although  perhaps 
occupying  the  more  important  field,  are  in  the  minority. 
As  good  speakers  are  usually  busy  men,  a  committee  will 
often  be  at  its  wits'  end  before  the  requisite  number  is  se- 
cured. It  is  safe  to  have  a  force  in  reserve,  for  vacancies 
will  occur  and  possibly  at  the  last  moment.  Effort  is  usu- 
ally made  to  secure  one  or  more  men  of  recognized  power 
as  Christian  workers  or  thinkers,  who  are  in  hearty  sym- 
pathy with  the  Associations.  Their  presence  adds  to  the 
character  and  attracting  power  of  the  gathering. 

(4)  In  addition  to  the  papers  and  addresses,  certain 
phases,  more  particularly  those  relating  to  personal  work, 
are  often  treated  by  the  "  conversation,"  as  it  is  termed. 
The  leader  should  be  an  experienced  worker,  and  apt  at 
questioning.  As  the  success  of  the  exercise  depends  much 
upon  its  informality  and  freedom  of  expression,  the  attend- 
ance is  often  restricted  to  delegates.  The  question  drawer 
should  always  be  given  a  place,  because  many  will  write 
what  they  are  too  diffident  to  ask  in  public,  and  experienced 
workers  may  supply  pointed  questions  that  need  brief  con- 
sideration. An  expert  conductor  is  needed,  who  may  re- 
ply himself  or  call  upon  others  to  do  so. 

(5)  The  devotional  exercises  are  always  one  of  the  most 
interesting  and  important  features.  Although,  from  the 
very  nature  of  the  case,  there  is  more  spontaneity  in  the 
religious  exercises  than  in  any  others,  and  some  persons 
might  consider  preparation  less  necessary  here,  yet  effort 
should  be  made  to  bring  the  delegates  into  contact  with 
men  who  are  model  leaders  and  able  to  give  them  strong 


406  STATS  AND  PROVIXCIAL  WORK.     Chap.  31,  E.  1. 

spiritual  food.  There  is  special  opportunity  and  need  for 
this  in  connection  with  the  study  and  use  of  the  Bible. 
Sometimes  a  skilled  Bible  scholar  or  worker  is  secured  to 
assist  in  this  feature  of  the  programme  throughout  the 
convention. 

(6)  The  music  is  always  an  essential,  and  both  effort 
and  money  are  well  expended  in  obtaining  a  superior 
leader.  There  is  then  assured,  almost  as  a  matter  of 
course,  the  selection  of  a  good  book  ;  a  male  chorus  ; 
spirited  singing  by  the  whole  convention  ;  quartettes  and 
solos  to  give  variety  ;  and  tact  to  select  and  sing  the 
right  thing  at  the  right  time,  which  is  very  helpful, 
especially  in  the  devotional  meetings.  A  genuine  religious 
fervor  should  prevade  the  music  and  nothing  be  done  for 
mere  artistic  effect.  There  should  be  a  liberal  supply  of 
books,  which  can  usually  be  secured  for  the  occasion  at 
small  expense. 

(V)  Precedent  and  experience  will  guide  largely  in 
arranging  the  order  of  the  programme,  and  the  time 
allotted  to  its  various  parts.  Sometimes  the  invited  speak- 
ers must  be  consulted.  The  programme  should  not  be 
over-crowded  ;  interruptions  must  be  expected,  and  time 
allowed  for  them.  The  sessions  should  not  interfere  with 
the  regular  meal  hours  or  other  customs  of  a  community. 
Neither  must  they  be  so  long  as  to  weary  the  delegates, 
who  will  not  in  this  case  attend  promptly  and  regularly. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  much  committee  and  other 
work  has  to  be  done  outside  of  the  sessions.  The  time 
schedule  when  fixed  should  be  adhered  to,  especially  in 
this  respect  that  no  topic,  however  interesting  its  dis- 
cussion, should  be  allowed  to  trench  upon  the  time  belong- 
ing to  another. 

But  the  pre-arranged  programme  is  not  iron-clad.  The 
business  committee  of  the  convention  can  provide  for  any 
changes  in  it  that  seem  necessary. 

c.  The  circular  calling  the  convention  is  usually 
issued  a  month  or  more  in  advance.     It  should  contain  a 


Chap.  31,  E,  2.    state  and  provii^^cial  work.  407 

list  of  the  topics  and  speakers — the  fully  arranged  pro- 
gramme if  possible  ;  the  hour  and  place  of  the  opening 
session  ;  the  location  of  the  Association  rooms  or  general 
rendezvous,  where  the  credential  and  entertainment  com- 
mittees are  to  be  found  ;  and  the  special  hotel  and  railroad 
rates  that  have  been  secured.  But  a  transportation  circu- 
lar must  sometimes  be  issued  later.  The  Associations  are 
also  reminded  to  instruct  their  delegates  how  much  to  sub- 
scribe to  the  state  work,  and  how  many  copies  of  the  pro- 
ceedings to  order.  If  arrangements  have  been  made  for 
full  reports  in  one  or  more  of  the  local  papers,  the  fact 
may  be  announced,  with  the  price,  including  postage  and 
the  name  of  the  person  to  whom  orders  may  be  sent.  A 
sufficient  number  of  credential  blanks  is  usually  inclosed 
with  the  circulars  sent  to  each  Association.  An  additional 
circular  of  welcome  is  sometimes  issued  by  the  local  Asso- 
ciation. Invitation  to  attend  the  convention  is  usually 
given  to  pastors  and  teachers,  and  to  young  men  inter- 
ested in  Christian  work  and  living  in  towns  without  Asso- 
ciations ;  but  in  many  states  the  large  attendance  of  ac- 
credited delegates  forbids  the  oifer  of  entertainment  to 
such  visitors.  It  is  desirable  that  corresponding  members 
of  district  committees  be  present,  and  the  district  chair- 
men should  be  authorized  to  invite  them  and  accredit  such 
as  can  attend,  so  that  they  may  be  entertained. 

An  advance  notice  should  be  sent  to  the  press,  and  will 
generally  be  published  as  news.  Much  correspondence 
and  visitation  will  also  be  required,  especially  to  secure 
the  attendance  of  representative  men  whose  co-operation 
is  needed.  Personal  effort  on  the  part  of  members  of  the 
committee  often  accomplishes  the  best  results. 

It  is  customary  for  the  State  Committee  to  appoint  in 
advance  the  committee  on  credentials,  that  it  may  begin 
work  on  the  arrival  of  the  delegates. 

2. — Preparatory  work — Local, — a.  In  securing  the  con- 
vention the  Association  and  the  community  in  which  it  is 
located  (for  concerted  action  between  them  is  taken  for 


408  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  E,  2. 

granted)  assume  no  small  responsibility.  Systematic  pre- 
paration should  begin  several  months  in  advance.  An  ex- 
ecutive committee  should  be  appointed,  and  an  early  con- 
ference held  with  some  representative  of  the  State  Com- 
mittee regarding  what  is  to  be  done  and  how  to  do  it. 
The  sub-committees  may  then  be  selected  and  set  at  work. 
It  will  be  convenient  to  have  the  executive  committee 
made  up  of  the  chairmen  of  the  sub-committees.  The 
committee  work  should  be  so  planned  throughout  as  to  be 
burdensome  to  none,  and  to  keep  away  from  the  conven- 
tion as  little  as  possible  those  who  need  its  benefits.  The 
following  sub-committees  will  be  required  : 

(1)  Finance. — An  estimate  should  be  made  of  the 
amount  of  money  needed.  This  should  be  raised  in  ad- 
vance, independently  of  other  funds. 

(2)  Entertainment. — It  is  customary  to  offer  free  enter- 
tainment to  accredited  delegates,  and  a  canvass  must  be 
made  to  ascertain  who  will  provide  it,  either  at  their  homes 
or  at  hotels  and  boarding  houses.  The  special  rates  at 
which  the  latter  will  receive  visitors  to  the  convention 
must  also  be  put  into  convenient  form,  for  consultation 
by  visitors  not  entitled  to  free  entertainment  and  by  dele- 
gates that  prefer  to  provide  for  themselves.  The  number 
to  be  expected  must  be  estimated  from  the  attendance  at 
previous  conventions,  the  geographical  location,  and  sim- 
ilar considerations,  rather  than  from  advance  reports  sent 
in  by  the  Associations. 

Two  registers  are  needed  by  this  committee  :  (a)  Con- 
taining the  names  of  the  hosts  arranged  alphabetically  and 
the  addresses  of  the  places  of  entertainment,  and  with 
blank  lines  under  each  address  corresponding  to  the  num- 
ber of  delegates  to  be  sent  to  it.  This  book  should  be 
ready  for  use  when  the  delegates  arrive,  {h)  An  alphabet- 
ical list  of  all  delegates  and  visitors,  with  both  their  home 
and  local  addresses. 

A  card  will  direct  the  delegate  to  his  place  of  entertain- 
ment and  introduce  him  to  his  host.     All  the  assignments 


Chap.  31,  E,  2.    state  and  provincial  work.  409 

should  be  made  by  one  or  two  persons,  who  are  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  homes  and  have  tact  enabling  them  to 
send  the  right  men  to  the  right  places.  Advance  lists  of 
delegates,  giving  age,  occupation,  church,  etc.,  or  sugges- 
tions as  to  desired  room-mates,  will  be  helpful.  The  State 
Secretary  and  other  persons  familiar  with  the  Associations 
may  well  be  consulted  regarding  assignments  from  these 
lists.  It  is  often  desirable  for  the  State  Committee  to  be 
quartered  together  at  a  hotel,  to  facilitate  the  necessary 
intercourse  between  its  members  and  with  the  other  dele- 
gates. As  delegates  are  arriving  at  all  hours  and  their 
places  of  entertainment  are  often  at  a  distance,  lunch  is 
usually  provided  on  the  opening  day,  either  at  the  Associa- 
tion rooms  or  the  parlors  of  the  church  where  the  meeting 
is  held.  Special  effort  should  be  made  to  provide  accepta- 
bly for  the  invited  guests  of  the  State  Committee. 

(3)  Receptio7i. — Members  of  this  committee,  designated 
by  suitable  badges,  meet  the  trains  and  boats  during  the 
convention,  to  greet  the  delegates,  and  conduct  them  to 
the  general  rendezvous  and,  after  assignment,  to  their 
places  of  entertainment.  Much  of  this  work  may  be  done 
by  the  boys  and  younger  members  of  the  Association.  A 
small  guide  book,  or  folder,  is  sometimes  prepared,  con- 
taining the  convention  programme  ;  a  diagram  of  the  city, 
showing  the  Association  building,  the  railroad  stations, 
churches,  hotels,  etc. ;  and  a  directory  of  the  different  meet- 
ing places,  and  location  of  credential  and  entertainment 
committees.  Advertisements  of  a  gentlemen's  furnishing 
store,  a  book  store,  pharmacy,  barber  shop,  etc.,  will  be  a 
convenience  and  pay  the  expense. 

(4)  Places  of  meeting . — The  Association  rooms,  if  at  all 
suitable,  are  the  best  place  for  general  headquarters,  and 
may  usually  be  set  apart  for  this  purpose  during  the  few 
days  of  the  convention.  Existing  facilities  can  be  in- 
creased by  improvising  for  the  occasion.  There  will  be 
needed  a  baggage  and  coat  room,  with  a  check  system  ; 
abundant  toilet  accommodations  ;  a  correspondence  room ; 


410  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  Bl,  E,  2. 

and  a  teraporaiy  post-office,  for  the  sale  of  stamps  and 
paper  Avrappers.  Tlie  general  register  and  tlio  tables  of 
the  credential  and  entertainment  committees  should  be  ar- 
ranged in  convenient  order,  and,  when  the  attendance  is 
large,  approach  to  them  should  be  properly  regulated. 
Rapid  penmen  are  needed  on  these  committees.  Each 
room  or  table  should  be  plainly  designated  by  a  large 
placard  and  the  committeemen  by  lettered  badges. 

If  there  is  a  fair-sized  meeting  room  in  the  Association 
building,  it  may  accommodate  the  day  sessions, — too  large  a 
room  is  a  disadvantage  ;  but  the  evening  meetings  must 
usually  be  held  in  the  best  audience  room  in  town.  Some- 
times a  public  hall  must  be  used,  but  such  a  gathering  for 
religious  2)urposes  is  more  decorous  in  a  church  than  any- 
where else.  Several  committee  rooms  and  other  conveni- 
ences will  be  needed.  Considerable  table  accommodation 
is  required  by  the  officers  and  by  the  reporters.  The  plat- 
form must  often  be  enlarged  to  afford  space  for  officers, 
speakers,  and  visitors,  together  with  a  cabinet  organ  and 
male  choir.  At  least  one  member  of  the  committee  should 
be  on  duty  at  each  session,  with  several  pages  and  a 
sufficient  number  of  ushers.  Something  in  the  way  of  deco- 
ration is  customary,  and  may  safely  be  left  to  the  ladies. 

b.  Welcome  exercises, — These  are  usually  held  in  the 
afternoon  or  evening  of  the  opening  day,  and  followed  by 
a  social  reception.  The  arrangements  may  be  in  charge  of 
the  executive  committee.  Such  exercises  were  formerly 
elaborate  and  lengthy,  but  are  now  generally  confined  to 
one  or  two  brief  addresses  by  local  speakers,  and  a  briefer 
response  by  the  president  of  the  convention,  with  the  pos- 
sible addition  of  some  music,  leaving  room  for  a  short 
business  session  and  the  sociable.  This  last  is  felt  to  be  a 
valuable  feature,  allowing  old  friends  to  meet,  and  others 
to  become  acquainted,  as  they  will  hardly  have  the  oppor- 
tunity to  do  in  the  busy  days  that  follow.  If  refresh- 
ments are  added,  they  should  be  simple  and  merely  to 
promote  sociability. 


Chap.  31,  E,  3.    state  and  PROViNCiAii  WORIS.  411 

c.  Other  social  gatherings,  excursions,  etc.,  are  some- 
times arranged  for.  The  State  Committee  should  be  fully 
advised  in  advance  of  all  such  plans  ;  and  if,  in  its  judg- 
ment, they  will  interfere  with  regular  attendance  at  the 
sessions,  they  should  be  dropped.  Constant  watchfulness 
must  be  exercised  in  this  direction. 

3. — At  the  co7iventio7i. — a.  The  first  session. — The  pro- 
gramme usually  provides  first  for  a  devotional  meeting. 
At  its  close  the  officers  of  the  State  Association,  or  of  the 
previous  annual  meeting,  take  the  platform.  After  relig- 
ious exercises,  with  which  the  business  sessions  are  uni- 
formly opened  and  which  should  include  the  reading  of  an 
appropriate  Scripture  passage,  motions  are  in  order  for  the 
appointment  of  a  temporary  business  committee — to  report 
a  programme  for  the  first  few  hours, — and  a  committee  on 
permanent  officers.  The  latter  retires  at  once,  and  soon 
reports  its  nominations  to  the  meeting.  The  vote  for 
officers  is  usually  by  acclamation,  and  they  are  immediately 
presented  to  the  convention  and  assume  their  duties. 

h.  The  officers^  etc. — As  the  success  of  a  convention  de- 
pends in  a  measure  upon  its  officers,  they  should  be  selected 
with  care.  The  president  requires  knowledge  of  parlia- 
mentary procedure,  and  executive  force  to  hold  the  con- 
vention to  its  work  without  disorder  and  distraction.  The 
secretary  should  be  clear-voiced,  quick,  and  systematic.  It 
is  desirable  that  this  officer  be  retained  for  a  series  of 
years,  as  the  duties  are  often  too  complex  to  be  success- 
fully performed  by  a  novice.  He  sometimes  nominates  his 
assistants. 

If  the  convention  has  no  permanent  rules  of  business, 
those  needed  are  adopted  at  the  opening  session.  The 
rules  of  the  International  Convention  may  be  followed  in 
many  respects. 

Persons  entitled  to  seats  as  corresponding  members,  or 
by  courtesy,  should  be  invited  to  sit  with  the  delegates. 
The  privilege  of  the  platform,  and,  sometimes,  of  an  intro- 
duction to  the   convention  should  be  accorded  prominent 


412  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  E,  3. 

visitors  and  citizens.  The  representative  of  the  Interna- 
tional Committee  should  have  such  opportunity  as  he  may 
desire  to  speak  of  its  work,  and  to  offer  any  practical 
suggestions. 

c.  The  standing  committees.  —  The  appointment  of 
these  committees  is  one  of  the  first  and  most  important 
duties  of  the  president,  and  it  is  no  reflection  upon  his 
judgment  to  say  that  he  will  usually  need  to  counsel  with 
members  of  the  State  Committee  who  know  the  ijersonnel 
of  the  convention.  Only  men  of  known  fitness,  and  with 
some  convention  experience,  should  be  placed  at  the  head 
of  committees.  In  selecting  both  officers  and  committees 
effort  should  be  made  to  represent  the  different  sections  of 
the  state,  and,  as  far  as  practicable,  business  men,  rather 
than  general  secretaries,  should  be  ai^pointed.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  usual  standing  committees,  with  a  brief 
statement  of  their  duties  : 

(1)  Business  y  to  arrange  and  report  a  programme  of 
exercises,  at  least  a  session  in  advance.  When  the  State 
Committee  has  prepared  a  programme,  it  should  be  ad- 
hered to  as  closely  as  possible,  but  many  circumstances 
may  render  variation  from  it  necessary.  All  business  of  a 
general  character,  not  within  the  province  of  other  com- 
mittees, will  be  referred  to  this  committee. 

(2)  State  Committee's  report;  to  carefully  examine  this 
document  and  recommend  to  the  convention  plans  of  work 
for  the  year,  including  the  nomination  of  new  members  of 
the  State  Committee.  These  recommendations  will  often 
be  submitted  at  different  times,  the  important  part  re- 
lating to  finances  being  needed  for  action  early  in  the  con- 
vention. 

(3)  Devotional  meetings  /  to  supervise  the  devotional 
exercises  already  provided  for,  and  to  arrange  for  others 
that  may  be '  desirable.  This  committee  will  consult  with 
any  local  pastors  desiring  the  assistance  of  delegates,  and 
with  the  Association  committees  regarding  the  Sunday 
meetings. 


Chap.  31,  E,  3.    state  and  provincial  work.  413 

(4)  Resolutions. — Resolutions  offered  in  the  convention 
are  usually  referred  without  reading  to  this  committee, 
who  advise  what  action,  if  any,  shall  be  taken.  It  is  also 
usual  to  summarize  the  results  of  important  discussions 
and  present  them  for  adoption,  together  with  the  custom- 
ary resolutions  of  thanks. 

(5)  Credentials  ;  to  receive  credentials,  and  to  keep  a 
list  of  the  delegates  and  corresponding  members.  This 
committee  should  be  provided  by  the  State  Committee 
with  a  book  in  which  the  Associations  are  entered  alpha- 
betically, with  sufficient  space  under  each  entry  for  the 
names  of  delegates.  Its  report  should  be  prepared  as 
early  as  practicable,  and  printed  proofs  distributed  for 
correction.  In  a  large  convention  each  delegate  is  given 
in  exchange  for  his  credential  a  ticket  entitling  him  to  all 
exclusive  privileges.  This  committee,  being  generally 
appointed  in  advance  by  the  State  Committee,  registers 
the  delegates  as  they  arrive,  thus  facilitating  both  its 
own  work  and  that  of  the  entertainment  committee. 

(6)  Some  State  Conventions  have  a  press  committee, 
containing  one  or  two  members  of  the  local  Association. 
It  renders  all  needed  aid  to  the  reporters  and  prepares  mate- 
rial for  the  press,  especially  a  letter  descriptive  of  the  con- 
vention, which  is  printed  and  sold  to  delegates  on  Satur- 
day night,  to  enclose  in  letters  and  insert  in  their  home 
papers. 

d.  Business  sessio7is. — These  may  not  be  the  most  in- 
teresting, but  they  are  the  essential  part  of  the  convention, 
without  which  a  state  gathering  need  not  be  held.  The 
report  of  the  State  Committee  should  be  presented  early, 
and  in  a  manner  to  attract  attention  and  secure  thoughtful 
consideration.  It  is  usually  read  by  the  chairman,  after 
which  its  salient  points  may  be  briefly  touched  upon  by 
one  or  more  forcible  speakers,  and  printed  copies  distrib- 
uted. Testimonies  to  benefit  derived  from  the  work  may 
be  very  effective.  Sometimes  the  details  of  the  year's 
work  are  given  by  the  chairmen  of  the  sub-committees  and 


414  STATE  A]yD  PROVINCIAL  WORK.     Chap.  31,  E,  3. 

the  State  Secretaries.  It  will  be  helj^ful  to  liave  the  report 
printed  in  full  in  the  daily  papers,  and  this  can  generally 
be  accomplished  by  furnishing  them  with  copy  in  advance. 

The  financial  session,  already  referred  to  in  c,  (2),  takes 
place  after  the  recommendations  regarding  expenditures 
for  the  ncAv  year  are  reported  back  to  tlie  convention.  It 
should  occur  when  the  largest  number  of  delegates  is 
present,  and  when  the  convention  is  fresh  and  not  crowded 
for  time.  The  roll  of  the  Associations,  contained  in  the 
credential  committee's  book,  should  be  called  slowly  in  a 
clear  voice.  A  wise  State  Committee  will  secure  pledges 
in  advance,  both  from  Associations  and  individuals,  which 
are  announced  at  the  time  that  seems  most  opportune. 
(See  section  C,  3,  of  this  chapter).  The  making  of  these 
offerings  is  essentially  a  religious  act,  and  may  well  be  ac- 
companied by  earnest  devotional  exercises.  With  a  good 
leader  and  a  vivid  presentation  of  the  state  work,  this  hour 
may  be  made  the  most  enthusiastic  of  the  convention. 
Collections  for  this  fund  are  also  usually  taken  at  some  of 
the  evening  meetings,  the  matter  being  arranged  in  ad- 
vance with  the  local  Association. 

The  further  consideration  of  the  report,  selection  of  the 
place  for  the  next  convention,  etc.,  will  occur  either  as 
fixed  orders  or  at  the  convenience  of  the  meeting,  but 
should  be  completed,  if  possible,  previous  to  the  Saturday 
night  session. 

e.  Reports  from  Associations. — It  is  an  excellent  plan 
to  throw  this  feature,  which  is  really  important,  into  the 
form  of  a  conversation,  under  direction  of  the  State  Secre- 
tary or  of  some  other  person  thoroughly  familiar  witli  the 
field,  the  questions  centering  upon  certain  phases  of  the 
work.  In  this  way  not  only  may  many  delegates  partici- 
pate, representing  all  sections  of  the  state  and  every  class 
of  Associations,  but  the  exercises  gain  in  definiteness. 
Sometimes  reports  from  Associations  are  printed  in  ad- 
vance, and  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  delegates  for  ques- 
tions.    With  an  experienced  conductor  this  plan  may  be 


Chap.  31,  E,  3.    state  and  provincial  work.  415 

made  very  profitable  and  economize  time.  Some  pre- 
arranged plan  should  always  be  followed.  There  is  little 
profit  in  random  reports. 

A  workers'  exj^erience  meeting  is  also  valuable.  Under 
competent  leadership  and  with  the  hour  thoroughl}^  social 
and  informal,  the  most  timid  can  be  drawn  out  to  tell  both 
of  their  successes  and  their  difficulties. 

f.  Topics. —  Those  involving  detail  and  matters  of 
business  can  be  treated  best  in  the  smaller  gatherings  of 
the  morning  and  afternoon.  In  the  evening  meetings  even 
the  reading  of  the  minutes  is  commonly  deferred,  and  the 
necessary  notices  are  given  only  at  the  opening.  Topics 
of  general  interest  and  illustrating  important  depart- 
ments of  the  work  are  chosen.  The  railroad  and  the  col- 
lege sessions  will  perhaps  each  fill  an  evening  acceptably. 
Preference  is  sometimes  accorded  a  topic  of  immediate 
local  interest,  for  example  a  building  project,  and  atten- 
tion is  called  to  phases  of  the  work  that  commend  the 
Association  to  popular  approval.  Business  men  are  told  of 
the  interest  manifested  in  other  cities,  of  the  sums  given 
towards  building  and  endowment  funds,  and  of  the  appro- 
priations for  the  railroad  work,  as  practical  demonstrations 
of  the  value  of  the  institution. 

g.  Anyioiincements.  —  As  few  of  these  as  possible 
should  be  made  in  the  convention.  They  may  be  posted 
on  a  bulletin  board  or  written  on  a  blackboard  in  the  vesti- 
bule. Assignments  of  speakers  and  suggestions  regarding 
their  topics  may  be  written  on  blanks  provided  for  the 
purpose  and  put  with  their  mail,  repeated  notice  being 
given  from  the  platform  that  this  has  been  done. 

h.  Parlor  conferences. — These  are  usually  held  at  the 
homes  of  leading  citizens,  in  whose  names  the  cards  of  in- 
vitation are  issued.  They  are  so  planned  for  the  presi- 
dents of  Associations,  committee  men,  and  delegates 
specially  interested  in  college,  railroad,  boys'  work,  etc.,  as 
to  be  attractive  to  all  who  are  present.  Each  host  specifies 
how  manj^  persons  he  can  conveniently  entertain,  and  a 


416  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL   WORK.      Chap.  31,  E,  3. 

corresponaing  number  of  cards  are  given  out  to  delegates 
applying  for  them.  A  programme  is  arranged  for  each 
conference  by  the  State  Committee,  generally  including  a 
paper  and  a  conversation,  and  some  person  prominent  in 
the  particular  dej^artment  is  named  as  chairman.  Refresh- 
ments are  usually  served,  and  after  a  pleasant  social  hour 
the  gathering  adjourns.  As  will  be  seen  at  a  glance,  eight 
or  ten  such  social  sessions  add  materially  to  the  scope  of  a 
convention,  besides  permitting  those  directly  interested  in 
particular  forms  of  work  to  come  into  closer  contact  with 
one  another  than  might  otherwise  be  possible.  Persons 
are  carefully  selected  in  advance  to  give  brief  but  pithy 
reports  of  these  meetings  to  the  convention.  Of  course, 
the  conferences  have  none  of  the  powers  of  the  convention 
in  regard  to  the  passage  of  resolutions,  etc. 

^.  Suggestions  for  next  year. — A.  meeting  of  the  State 
Committee  and  invited  workers  at  the  close  of  the  Satur- 
day evening  session,  where  fresh  suggestions  are  offered 
for  the  next  convention,  is  often  very  valuable. 

/  Devotio7ial  exercises. — A  devotional  service — a  Bible 
reading,  a  prayer  meeting,  an  address,  or  perhaps  a  com- 
bination of  these — is  held  in  connection  with  each  session, 
and  in  addition  to  the  more  formal  exercises  at  its  opening. 
It  often  i^recedes  the  session,  in  which  case  it  may  be  held 
in  a  separate  but  neighboring  room.  But  there  is  a  grow- 
ing inclination  to  give  it  a  place  on  the  j^rogramme  after 
at  least  one  important  topic,  and  when  all  are  present  to 
receive  its  benefit.  Closed  doors  will  in  any  event  render 
the  service  more  quiet  and  profitable.  Additional  meet- 
ings, either  devotional  or  evangelistic,  are  often  held,  but 
ought  not  to  conflict  with  the  regular  appointments.  The 
sessions  are  always  closed  with  prayer,  in  order  that,  Avhat- 
ever  the  excitement  of  debate  or  the  distractions  of  the 
closing  minutes,  generally  crowded  with  committee  notices 
and  business  details,  the  adjournment  may  bring  the  mind 
back  to  the  devotional  spirit  that  should  pervade  the  whole 
meeting.     Local  pastors  are  often  invited  to  conduct  these 


Chap.  31,  E,  3.    state  and  provincial  work.  417 

exercises.  Very  often  singing  and  brief  seasons  of  prayer 
are  introduced  at  opportune  times  during  the  routine  busi- 
ness. Even  when  embittering  differences  of  opinion  have 
threatened  the  harmony  of  a  session,  the  power  of  prayer 
has  brought  unanimity  of  thought  and  action.  If  special 
religious  interest  is  developed,  and  personal  requests  for 
prayer  are  made  at  any  session,  a  meeting  for  prayer  and 
conversation  with  the  inquirers  should  follow. 

k.  Conventioji  Sunday. — The  usual  custom  is  to  close 
the  business  sessions  on  Saturday,  and  to  hold  the  farewell 
meeting  the  following  evening.  The  peculiar  privileges 
and  opportunities  of  a  convention  Sunday  tend  to  make  it 
a  signal  benefit  both  to  the  delegates  and  the  community. 
Members  of  the  convention,  when  invited  by  pastors,  ad- 
dress local  congregations,  and  usually  speak  on  young 
men's  work,  bringing  the  subject  before  many  that  have 
not  attended  the  sessions.  Those  who  participate  in  the 
work  of  the  local  Association  may  carry  home  new  plans 
and  enthusiasm.  A  consecration  meeting  is  generally  held 
early  on  Sunday  morning,  and  an  evangelistic  meeting  for 
young  men  in  the  afternoon,  at  an  hour  not  conflicting 
with  church  services  and  often  in  a  public  hall.  Special 
preparation  is  made  for  this  meeting  by  selecting  earnest 
speakers,  arranging  for  good  music,  and  thoroughly  adver- 
tising it  by  every  legitimate  means.  Especially  should 
men  be  stationed  in  the  neighboring  streets  a  half  hour 
before  the  meeting  to  invite  personally  and  by  card  all 
young  men  who  pass.  The  usual  ushers  and  "  look-out  " 
committee  should  be  re-inforced  for  the  occasion.  The 
workers  expect  results  at  this  meeting,  and  are  seldom  dis- 
appointed. A  meeting  is  often  held  at  the  same  time  for 
boys,  and,  if  the  circumstances  warrant,  others  for  railroad 
men,  etc.  Sometimes  one  is  held  for  women,  in  which  the 
aim  is  to  describe  women's  work  for  young  men  from  an 
Association  standpoint,  and  inspire  zeal  regarding  it. 
The  interest  increases  until  at  the  platform  meetings, 
which  it  is  customary  to  hold  in  the  evening,  several  large 


418  STATE  AND   PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  F,  1. 

churches  will  be  filled.  A  number  of  short,  pithy  ad- 
dresses are  arranged  for  each  service,  an  effort  being  made 
to  put  the  different  important  phases  of  the  work  before 
the  public  as  forcibly  as  possible.  More  people  are  often 
reached  at  these  Sundaj^  evening  services  than  during  aU 
the  previous  meetings,  especially  of  those  who  are  not 
much  interested  in  the  Association. 

The  farewell  meeting  is,  however,  the  climax  of  the  con- 
vention. It  follows  the  platform  service  at  one  of  the 
churches,  usually  where  the  public  sessions  of  the  conven- 
tion have  been  held,  and  to  it  the  delegates  gather  from  all 
the  earlier  meetings.  If  a  topic  is  taken,  it  is  some  such 
practical  one  as  "What  have  I  gained  from  the  conven- 
tion.^" or  "Personal  consecration."  Invited  guests,  local 
pastors,  and  the  officers  of  the  convention  have  opportu- 
nity for  a  farewell  word,  and  then,  all  joining  hands,  the 
familiar  parting  hymn  of  the  Association  is  sung,  and  the 
president  announces  the  adjournment.  As  the  workers 
look  into  the  eyes  of  old  comrades,  of  newer  yet  close 
friends,  and  of  the  leaders,^-men  that  in  the  few  days 
together  they  have  learned  to  love, — and  as  the  chorus 
swells  up,  often  from  a  thousand  voices,  many  an  eye 
moistens  and  many  a  heart  thrills,  as  perhaps  seldom  in  a 
life-time.  All  feel  the  blessedness  of  the  "  tie  that  binds," 
and  many  carry  from  the  scene  impressions  and  purposes 
never  to  be  forofotten. 


sectio:n"  f. 

THE    DISTRICT    WORK.* 

1. — The  Committee. — a.  Organization. — The  thorough 
organization  of  a  state  necessitates  its  sub-division  into  dis- 
tricts, each  with  its  executive  committee,  its  annual  con- 

*  See  several  publications  by  State  Committees,  especially  those  of  Illinois 
and  New  York,  on  subjects  connected  with  this  work. 
This  section  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  69. 


Chap.  31,  F,  1.      STATE  AND  PROVINCIAIi  TVORK.  419 

ference,  and  a  system  of  visitation,  correspondence,  and 
reports  ;  tlie  whole  in  close  contact  with  and  under  the 
supervision  of  the  State  Committee.  The  direct  charge  of 
this  work  is  given  to  a  standing  committee  on  district 
work,  as  mentioned  in  section  B,  4,  (Z>),  of  this  chapter ; 
each  district  having,  if  possible,  a  resident  member  to 
whose  particular  care  its  interests  are  assigned.  This  is 
perhaps  the  most  important  sub-division  of  the  State  Com- 
mittee, as  to  it,  assisted,  of  course,  by  the  State  Secretar- 
ies, is  given  the  general  oversight  of  the  local  Associations, 
including  the  development  and  extension  of  the  work. 

In  arranging  the  districts,  each  of  which  usually  com- 
prises several  counties,  the  Associations  should  be  grouped 
about  strong  centers,  and  in  such  manner  that  those  in 
each  district  can  easily  communicate  with  one  another. 
The  local  district  committee  is  appointed  annually  by  the 
State  Convention  or  Committee,  or  by  the  sub-committee 
on  district  work.  The  former  method  has  the  advantage 
of  connecting  the  district  work  in  the  closest  way  with  the 
entire  state  work.  As  a  rule,  a  good  man  is  continued  on 
the  committee  for  several  years.  When  there  are  few  As- 
sociations in  a  district,  the  committee  may  contain  a  mem- 
ber from  each  ;  otherwise,  some  may  be  represented  by 
corresponding  members.  The  general  secretaries  in  a  dis- 
trict may  be  members  ex  officio,  as  are  always  the  State 
Secretary,  the  chairman  of  the  State  Committee,  and  the 
resident  member  of  the  standing  committee  on  district 
work.  Committees  of  moderate  size  are  generally  the 
most  efficient. 

h.  Meetings. — The  district  chairman  should  call  the 
committee  together  soon  after  its  appointment,  to  complete 
its  organization  and  to  outline  the  work  of  the  year.  It  is 
very  desirable  that  both  the  State  Secretary  and  the  resi- 
dent member  of  the  State  Committee  be  present  and  the 
latter  should  uniformly  attend  the  meetings.  It  will  be 
convenient  if  at  least  the  chairman  and  the  secretary  live 
in  the  same  or  adjacent  towns,  and  be  given  ad  interhn 


420  STATE  AND   PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  F,  2. 

executive  power.  General  secretaries  should  be  called  to 
neither  of  these  positions  if  it  can  be  avoided.  Such  sub- 
committees are  constituted  as  to  equably  apportion  the 
work  ;  the  field  being  usually  divided  into  sections,  each  in 
charge  of  one  or  more  members. 

The  stated  meetings  of  the  committee  will  probably 
occur  quarterly,  and  it  is  advisable  to  have  a  fixed  time, 
place,  and  order  of  business.  Special  meetings  may  be 
called,  as  needed,  by  the  chairman.  The  following  is  sug- 
gested as  an  order  of  business  :  (1)  Devotional  exercises. 
(2)  Marking  attendance.  (3)  Minutes  of  preceding  meet- 
ing. (4)  Roll  of  Associations  and  towns,  with  reports  of 
sub-committees  in  charge.  (5)  District  conferences.  (6) 
Local  conferences.  (V)  Visitation.  (8)  Corresponding 
members.  (9)  Extension.  (10)  Finances.  The  last  six 
items  include  reports  and  all  other  matters  pertaining  to, 
these  departments  of  the  state  work. 

Every  member  of  the  committee  unable  to  be  present 
should  notify  the  chairman,  and  report  fully  in  writing  the 
work  under  his  supervision.  A  synopsis  of  the  minutes  of 
each  meeting  should  be  forwarded  to  absent  members  and 
to  the  State  Committee.  Full  tabulated  statistics  of  the 
year's  work  of  the  committee  should  be  submitted  at  the 
last  meeting. 

c.  Extension  of  local  worh. — Being  in  close  contact  with 
the  work  in  their  respective  fields,  the  district  committees 
are  able  to  judge  as  to  the  advisability  of  extending  the 
work,  either  by  the  organization  of  new  Associations  or  by 
the  introduction  of  new  lines  of  effort.  In  these  matters, 
however,  there  should  always  be  consultation  with  the 
State  Committee,  and  concert  of  action  both  with  it  and 
with  the  locality  interested.  For  details  in  the  matter 
of  local  organization,  see  chapter  4. 

2. —  Conferences  and  visitation,  a. — The  district  confer- 
ence *  in  its  methods  is  the  State  Convention  on  a  smaller 

*Both  conferences  and  conventions  are  meetings  for  instruction  and  discus- 
sion, but  the  former  also  has  legislative  powers  while  the  latter  has  not. 


Chap.  31,  F,  2.    state  and  provincial  work.  421 

scale,  but  multiplied  in  number,  and  reaching  with  its  dis- 
cussions and  its  educating  influence  many  people  that 
seldom  or  never  attend  a  State  Convention.  Its  import- 
ance is  enhanced  by  the  restricted  representation  necessary 
at  the  latter.  The  place  and  time  are  selected  with  refer- 
ence to  local  benefit  and  the  securing  of  a  full  attendance. 
The  State  Secretar^^'s  presence  is  also  very  desirable,  and 
his  convenience  should  be  consulted.  Not  only  are  dele- 
gates expected  from  each  Association  in  the  district,  but 
towns  without  Associations  are  invited  to  send  representa^ 
tives,  and  all  corresponding  members  are  specially  welcome. 
The  sessions  usually  include  parts  of  two  or  three  days,  in 
many  cases  being  held  over  Sunday,  like  the  State  Conven- 
tions. The  arrangements  for  the  meeting  are  made  by  the 
district  committee.  The  matter  of  advertising  the  meet- 
ings in  the  locality  where  the  conference  is  held  will  need 
special  attention.  It  is  generally  neglected.  There  should 
not  only  be  notices  in  the  papers,  and  announcements  from 
the  pulpits  and  in  the  Association  meetings  ;  but  special 
dodgers  and  cards,  and  personal  invitations. 

The  chairman  of  the  district  committee  either  presides 
at  the  sessions  or  selects  others  to  do  so.  The  topics  dis- 
cussed should  be  thoroughly  practical,  and  the  work  of  the 
small  Associations,  often  slighted  in  the  larger  conven- 
tions, should  be  given  prominence.  One  or  more  represen- 
tative workers  from  outside  the  district  will  add  interest, 
but  many  local  workers  who  are  seldom  heard  when  at  the 
State  Convention  will  be  very  helpful. 

The  sessions  are  usually  all  open  to  those  interested,  but 
a  more  popular  service  is  often  held  in  the  evening, 
designed  to  inform  and  interest  the  general  public.  It  is 
also  customary  to  present,  at  the  most  opportune  time 
during  the  sessions,  the  character  and  needs  of  the  state 
work,  and  to  secure  subscriptions  toward  its  support.  In 
some  states  the  necessary  expenses  of  the  conference  and 
committee  are  paid  out  of  the  amount  received,  any 
remainder  being  turned  over  at  the  close  of  the  year  to 


422  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  F,  2. 

the  State  Committee.  Other  State  Committees  receive  all 
moneys  collected,  and  make  the  necessary  disbursements 
under  stated  appropriations  to  the  district  work.*  When 
a  larger  fund  is  needed  than  can  be  raised  at  the  confer- 
ences, a  system  of  running  contributions  may  be  adopted. 

Many  suggestions  in  section  E  of  this  chapter  apply  with 
slight  modifications  to  the  district  conference. 

When  a  district  is  very  large,  or  the  means  of  communi- 
cation are  not  good,  two  conferences  may  be  held  in  con- 
venient localities,  the  dates  being  some  time  apart,  that 
those  desiring  to  do  so  may  attend  both.  District  confer- 
ences should  be  held,  if  possible,  at  an  interval  of  several 
months  from  the  State  Convention. 

h.  Local  conferences  of  contiguous  Associations,  and 
inter-visitation  by  delegations  or  committees,  are  helpful. 
The  latter  often  takes  the  form  of  a  tea  table  conference. 
Such  a  gathering  of  earnest  workers  must  result  in  good; 
they  catch  new  ideas,  form  fresh  purposes,  and  drink  in 
courage  and  inspiration  from  the  social  and  spiritual 
contact. 

c.  Visitatio7i. — There  should  be  a  systematic  visita- 
tion of  the  entire  district  by  the  committee  at  least  annu- 
ally, two  or  more  members,  if  possible,  being  present  on 
each  occasion.  Also,  as  the  roll  of  Associations  is  con- 
sidered at  the  committee  meetings,  the  condition  and  needs 
of  each  should  be  carefully  noted,  and  arrangements  made 
to  render  any  required  aid  at  once.  Existing  organiza- 
tions deserve  first  attention,  even  if  this  leaves  little  oppor- 
tunity to  establish  new  ones.  A  reserve  force  of  workers 
may  be  organized  for  such  service. 


♦The  Illinois  State  Committee  gives  the  following  instructions  regarding  col- 
lections : 

"  The  total  gross  amount  of  each  collection  received  in  a  local,  district,  or 
other  conference,  should  be  sent  to  the  state  office  (making  checks  or  drafts 
payable  to  the  treasurer  of  the  State  Committee),  accompanied  by  (a)  the  envel- 
opes, pledge  cards,  etc.,  used,  with  the  name  of  person,  and  amount  of  payment 
(if  any)  carefully  marked  on  each  :  ih)  name  and  address  of  collector,  and  full 
description  [i.  e.,  name,  amount  and  date  payable)  of  each  pledge  retained  for 
collection;  (c)  an  itemized  bill  against  the  State  Committee,  covering  all  ex- 
(if  any),  which  will  be  repaid  by  the  treasurer's  check."    But  sometimes 


the  district  committee  is  allowed  to  deduct  expenses  and  send  the  balance  to  the 
treasurer  of  the  State  Committee. 


Chap.  31,  F,  3.    state  and  provincial  work.  423 

3. —  Corresponding  members. — a.  A  somewhat  recent 
feature  is  the  appointment  of  corresponding  members  of 
the  district  committee  in  towns  and  villages  where  there 
are  no  Associations.  The  most  active  Christian  young 
men  should  be  selected,  after  correspondence  or  personal 
conference  with  pastors  and  Christian  business  men. 
Teachers  of  J^oung  men's  Bible  classes  may  often  make 
good  corresponding  members.  The  names  selected  are 
forwarded  to  the  State  Committee  or  the  chairman  of  its 
committee  on  district  work,  who,  after  examining  refer- 
ences, formally  notifies  and  instructs  the  appointees.  The 
corresponding  member  is  the  representative  of  the  work 
for  young  men  in  his  community,  and  the  medium  of  com- 
munication and  contact  with  the  organized  work  at  large. 
It  will  be  his  duty  (1)  to  keep  the  district  committee  in- 
formed by  systematic  reports  of  all  interesting  facts  in 
connection  with  his  field  ;  (2)  to  receive  and  communicate 
to  others  any  information  or  helpful  suggestions  from  the 
district  committee  ;  (3)  to  develop  an  interest  in  work  for 
young  men  in  his  locality,  and  to  suggest  and  aid  in  the 
establishment  of  such  forms  of  effort  as  may  from  time  to 
time  be  practicable  ;  (4)  to  provide  young  men  removing 
from  his  field  with  letters  of  introduction  to  the  secretary 
of  a  city  or  College  Association,  or  to  a  corresponding 
member  or  pastor  in  a  non-Association  town,  sending  also 
by  mail  to  the  persons  thus  addressed  such  facts  and  sug- 
gestions as  may  be  helpful.  Blank  forms  are  often  fur- 
nished by  the  State  Committee,  also  a  list  of  the  secretar- 
ies and  correspondents  throughout  the  state.  (5)  To 
secure  for  young  men  coming  into  his  town,  especially 
those  introduced  by  this  system,  such  desired  advantages 
as  he  can,  and  to  seek  their  welfare  in  all  practicable  ways. 
(6)  Corresponding  members  often  assist  in  raising  money 
for  the  state  work. 

h.  Among  the  means  used  to  foster  interest  in  the 
work  are  (l)  the  holding  of  occasional  j^ublic  meetings 
addressed  by  those  familiar  with  the  work  ;    (2)  the  judi. 


424  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.      Chap.  31,  F,  3. 

cious  circulation  of  printed  matter,  and  the  publication  of 
items  in  the  local  press  ;  (3)  the  observance  of  the  annual 
day  and  week  of  prayer  in  November,  with  sermons  by 
the  jjastors,  and  a  union  service  in  the  interest  of  organ- 
ized work  for  young  men  as  represented  by  the  Inter- 
national Committee  ;  (4)  securing  the  attendance  of  Chris- 
tian young  men  and  pastors  at  the  district  and  local  con- 
ferences. 

c.  Where  there  are  two  or  more  evangelical  churches 
in  a  community  it  will  be  wise  for  the  corresponding  mem- 
ber to  have  associated  with  him  a  young  man  from  each, 
thus  forming,  with  the  pastors,  a  strong  nucleus  from 
which,  to  originate  and  supervise  any  desired  movement. 
In  addition  to  stimulating  effort  in  connection  with  the 
individual  churches,  it  may  be  practicable  to  hold  a  union 
young  men's  meeting,  either  for  j^rayer  or  Bible  study,  or 
a  workers'  training  class  ;  something  may  be  done  in  the 
interest  of  j^ersonal  j^urity  and  the  circulation  of  evangel- 
istic reading  matter  ;  or  in  every  case  an  earnest  personal 
work  may  be  inaugurated,  the  workers  being  stimulated  by 
a  few  simple  rules  and  an  occasional  meeting  for  prayer 
and  conference. 

Corresponding  members  should  be  entitled  to  entertain- 
ment at  both  the  district  and  State  Conventions,  and  also 
be  accorded  certain  privileges  in  such  Associations  of  the 
district  or  state  as  they  may  visit,  a  suitable  ticket  being 
issued  to  them  by  the  State  Committee. 

d.  This  semi-organization  of  non- Association  territory 
through  the  district  work,  and  especially  the  correspond- 
ing membership  system,  renders  it  possible  to  introduce 
throughout  large  areas  many  lines  of  effort  heljiful  to 
young  men  ;  it  also  brings  the  state  work  into  touch  with 
the  entire  field,  creating  everywhere  an  intelligent  sym- 
pathy and  often  an  active  suj^port  for  it,  and  indicating 
where  and  when  a  community  is  ready  for  a  fuller  organi- 
zation. But  there  is  another  thought, — of  the  thousands 
of  young  men  annually  drifting  from  country  to  city  life. 


Chap.  31,  G.        STATE   AND  PROVINCIAL   WORK.  425 

may  not  a  good  percentage  of  those  coming  from  commu- 
nities where  this  class  of  work  is  done  be  expected  to  ally 
themselves  readily  with  the  city  Associations  ? 

e.  Where  the  system  outlined  is  not  in  operation,  any 
Association  may  do  a  helpful  work  by  holding  delegation 
meetings  in  surrounding  villages,  with  a  view  to  acquaint- 
ing the  peoj^le  with  the  organization  and  its  methods. 
Corresponding  members  of  the  local  Association  may  be 
constituted  in  these  places,  thus  more  closely  connecting 
them  with  the  organized  work,  and  when  there  are  a  num- 
ber of  such  they  may  be  invited  to  a  conference  once  or 
twice  a  year. 

f.  Pastors  of  village  churches  should  in  any  event  be 
kept  informed  of  the  work  by  correspondence  and  such 
published  matter  as  may  be  at  the  command  of  the  com- 
mittee, particularly  the  state  and  local  bulletins.  Their 
attendance  at  the  conferences  should  be  encouraged,  and 
their  hearty  co-operation  be  sought  everj^where.  The  im- 
portance of  this  is  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  many  of 
them  will  become  pastors  in  Association  towns,  and  their 
previous  acquaintance  and  views  may  determine  their 
attitude  towards  the  work  in  their  new  fields. 

4. — A  work  in  many  respects  similar  to  that  just  de- 
scribed has  been  undertaken  in  some  single  counties.  See 
"The  county  work,  including  the  county  secretary,"  Int. 
pph.  No.  609. 


SECTION  G. 

THE    RELATION    OP    LOCAL    ASSOCIATIONS    TO    THE    GENERAL 

WORK.* 

Associations  sometimes  seem  to  consider  all  this  general 
work  as  an  outside  matter,  toward  which  they  have  little 
relation  or  responsibility.     But  reflection  will  show  that  it 

*This  section  is  reprinted  with  sections  A-D  of  this  chapter,  as  Int.  pph.  No. 
67. 


426  STATE  AND  PROVINCIAL.  WORK.       Chap.  31,  Ge 

has  all  been  created  and  is  controlled  by  representatives  of 
local  Associations,  as  such  ;  that  it  acts  solely  as  the  agent 
of  local  Associations  ;  and  that  it  labors  directly  for  the 
welfare  of  local  Associations  or  of  young  men  where 
organization  cannot  yet  be  undertaken.  The  discussion  of 
new  methods  at  conventions  and  conferences  and  the 
enthusiasm  there  manifested  for  work  among  young  men, 
as  shown  repeatedly  in  this  book,  have  from  the  begin- 
ning been  a  wonderful  stimulus  to  local  work.  These 
gatherings  have  also  brought  the  Association  movement 
to  the  attention  of  the  general  public  in  a  striking  way. 
The  information  about  the  work  at  large  collected  and 
circulated  by  the  State  and  International  Committees,  often 
with  much  greater  expense  and  effort  than  would  be  sup- 
posed, has  been  another  powerful  educational  agency.  The 
quiet  and  systematic  aid  of  the  general  committees,  many 
details  of  which  can  never  be  put  into  any  report,  has  been 
the  means  of  establishing  and  keeping  alive  many  of  the 
local  societies. 

It  seems  clear,  then,  that  every  Association  should  co- 
operate heartily  and  promptly  with  the  efforts  of  the  gen- 
eral committees,  and  honor  their  calls  for  volunteer  help  of 
any  description.  Conventions  should  be  made  the  subject 
of  special  praj^er  for  weeks  before  their  meeting.  Every 
Association  should  fill  up  and  return  statistical  reports  at 
once,  thus  diminishing  by  half  the  labor  commonly  re- 
quired for  their  collection.  It  should  respond  to  requests 
for  pecuniary  aid  to  general  work.  It  should  send  to  con- 
ventions delegations  of  its  best  men,  prepared  to  make  a 
brief  but  precise  statement  of  its  condition,  and  especially 
of  any  novel  features  of  the  past  year.  If  others,  not  so 
experienced  or  interested,  are  persuaded  to  go,  they  will 
often  come  back  first-rate  workers.  Unless  it  is  absolutely 
impossible,  delegates  should  remain  throughout  the  con- 
vention, attending  every  session,  and  striving  to  exert  a 
Christian  influence  on  the  families  that  entertain  them  and 
on  all  whom  they  meet.      The  Association  should  consider 


Chap.  31,  G.      STA.TB  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORK.  427 

it  a  duty  to  pay  all  or  a  part  of  its  delegate's  traveling  ex- 
penses, rather  than  lose  the  benefit  of  representation.  The 
latter,  in  his  turn,  should  consider  himself  responsible  to 
get  all  the  useful  hints  he  can  for  the  home  work,  to  make 
a  full  report  at  an  Association  meeting  soon  after  his  re- 
turn, and  to  encourage  with  all  his  influence  the  future 
development  of  any  new  plans  that  may  be  adopted  as  a 
result  of  his  suggestions. 

Each  Association  can  also  do  and  get  good,  and  enjoy 
some  of  the  pleasures  of  the  general  work,  by  fraternal 
correspondence  and  intervisitation  with  neighboring  Asso- 
ciations. 


CHAPTER  82. 

THE  AMERICAN  INTERNATIONAL  WORK.' 


SECTION  A. 

GROWTH    AND    ORGANIZATION. 

1„ —  The  International  Committee. —  The  international 
work  in  North  America  began  with  the  first  representa- 
tive gathering  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  on 
this  continent,  which  met  in  Buffalo,  June  7,  1854.  The 
history  of  this  meeting  anJ  its  immediate  results,  with 
the  various  changes  in  the  construction  of  the  executive 
committee,  are  given  in  chapter  3,  F,  1.  This  committee, 
as  now  constituted,  consists  of  thirty-nine  members,  one- 
third  of  whom  are  elected  at  each  biennial  convention 
and  for  six  years.  Its  legal  status  is  defined  by  a  charter 
granted  by  the  New  York  State  Legislature  in  1883,  and 
adopted  the  same  year  by  the  International  Convention 
that  met  in  Milwaukee,.  New  York  City  is  the  permanent 
headquarters. 

Sub-committees  oversee  various  departments  of  the 
work,  which  usually  meet  a  short  time  before  the  monthly 
meeting  of  the  International  Committee.  At  the  latter 
meeting  the  minutes  of  their  meetings  are  read  and 
their  recommendations  are  considered.  Through  confer- 
ence and  correspondence  they  arrange  the  movements  of 

*Many  suggestions  given  in  the  last  chapter,  that  apply  equally  here,  are  not 
repeated.  A  clear  view  of  this  work  cannot  be  obtained  without  reading  both 
chapters. 

This  chapter  is  reprinted  as  Int.  pph.  No.  70. 


Chap.  32,  A,  3.    AMERICAN  international  work.  429 

the  secretaries  in  their  charge.  A  large  amount  of  similar 
work  receives  careful  personal  attention  from  the  chair- 
man of  the  committee. 

2. — Its  advisory  members  and  trustees. — The  Milwaukee 
Convention,  in  order  to  retain  in  semi-official  connection 
with  the  work  men  unable  to  continue  a  more  active  rela- 
tion, also  provided  by  resolution  for  nine  advisory  mem- 
bers, one-third  of  whom  are  elected  at  each  International 
Convention.  The  number  has  since  been  increased  to 
twelve.  Permanent  funds  coming  into  possession  of 
the  committee  are  held  in  trust  by  a  self -perpetuating 
board  of  fifteen  trustees.  Representative  Christian  busi- 
ness men  are  uniformly  chosen  for  these  important  posi- 
tions, and,  as  far  as  practicable,  from  different  sections  of 
the  country. 

3. — Its  corresponding  members. — At  the  reorganization 
of  the  international  work,  which  took  place  at  Chicago  in 
1863  (see  Chap.  3,  E,  1),  the  committee  was  increased  by 
one  member  from  each  state,  territory,  district,  and  pro- 
vince. But  the  following  year,  at  the  Boston  Convention, 
the  committee  was  reduced  to  five,  with  a  corresponding 
member  in  each  state,  etc.  Although  various  changes 
have  since  been  made  in  the  number  and  constitution  of 
the  committee  the  latter  feature  has  been  retained,  the 
corresponding  members  being  generally  nominated  by  the 
State  Conventions  and  appointed  by  the  International 
Conventions. 

The  duties  of  this  office  vary  with  the  condition  of  the 
field.  Formerly,  before  state  organizations  became  gen- 
eral, the  corresponding  member  called  the  local  conven- 
tions and  directed  whatever  was  undertaken  in  the  way 
of  supervision  or  extension.  But  now  such  work  is 
usually  done  by  the  state  organizations  or,  in  certain 
cases,  by  representatives  of  the  International  Committee, 
while  the  corresponding  member  is  expected  to  be  present 
at  the  State  Convention,  and  to  make  a  brief  annual  re- 
jDort  to  his  committee.     An   active   and  competent   man 


430  AMERICAN  INTERNATIONAL  WORK.      Chap.  32,  Bo 

may  however  be  very  useful,  even  in  a  fully  organized  iield, 
by  taking  an  interest  in  the  general  work  of  his  state  and 
communicating  promptly  to  the  international  office  any= 
thing  that  would  be  of  interest  to  or  require  the  attention 
of  the  committee.  He  should  also  be  able  to  render  effi- 
cient  aid  in  stimulating  financial  contributions.  If  a  rep- 
resentative layman,  as  is  usually  the  case,  his  annual  re- 
port in  the  Year  Book  gives  added  weight  and  interest  to 
that  document,  supplementing  the  testimony  of  the  statis- 
tical tables. 


SECTION  B. 

THE   FIELD. 

This  has  been  defined  with  increasing  fullness  of  detail 
by  the  instructions  of  successive  International  Conventions. 
At  each  of  these  meetings  tho  committee  on  the  report  of 
the  International  Committee  has  carefully  reviewed  the 
field  and  recommended  such  extension  as  has  seemed  desi- 
rable  and  practicable,  and  on  this  basia  the  convention  has 
given  directions  regarding  the  work  to  be  undertakeuo 

Territorially^  the  field  has  been  the  United  States  and 
British  Provinces  in  North  America,  a,nd  such  foreign 
countries  as  have  gradually  come  into  relation  tc  the 
American  Associations  through  correspondence^  visitation, 
and  other  means  of  intercourse. 

The  conventions  have  also  enlarged  the  field  from  time 
to  time  by  special  instructions  to  promote  work  among  the 
following  clr.Gses  of  young  men  in  America :  In  1874 
German  speaking  young  men,  in  1875  railroad  men,  m 
1876  colored  men.  in  1877  college  students,  in  1879  com- 
mercial traveiersj  m  1885  Indians.  In  1889  young  men  in 
foreign  mission  fields  were  included.  * 

*Several  pamphlets  on  Association  work  in  foreign  mission  lands  have  been 
published  by  the  International  Committee. 


Chap.  32,  C,  3.      AMERICAI^  IIJfTERA'^ATIONAL  WORK.  431 


SECTION  C. 

THE    WORK. 

The  work  of  the  committee  may  be  outlined  as  follows  : 
1. — Supervision  and  extension^  including  :  {a)  The 
full  care  of  the  field  where  there  is  no  state  or  provincial 
organization  ;  (^)  an  advisory  relation  to  the  state  organi- 
zations ;  (c)  the  initiation  of  systematic  effort  among 
special  classes  of  young  men  and,  in  many  portions  of  the 
continent,  largely  its  direction  ;  {d)  the  direction  of  the 
work  undertaken  by  the  American  Associations  in  foreign 
lands. 

2.  —  The  correspondence  of  the  central  office  is  volumin- 
ous, over  200,000  letters  and  circulars  being  sent  out  and 
received  in  a  year.  The  chairman  of  the  committee  has 
for  over  twenty  years  conducted  much  of  the  important 
correspondence.  The  reply  to  a  letter  often  requires  re- 
search, experience,  and  tact,  perhaps  all  combined.  Here 
also  must  originate  and  be  sent  out  to  the  traveling  agents 
of  the  committee,  its  corresponding  members,  the  state 
organizations,  the  local  Associations  and  general  secreta- 
ries, the  patrons  of  the  work,  and  through  the  press  to 
the  general  public,  instructions,  advice,  or  information — as 
may  be  needed — directing,  conserving,  and  promoting  the 
entire  work. 

Each  traveling  secretary  must  also  find  such  opportu- 
nity as  he  can  to  conduct  a  large  correspondence. 

3.  —  The  publicatio7is  of  the  committee  include  :'  {a) 
Books  and  pamphlets  relating  to  the  history,  organization, 
and  methods  of  work  of  the  Associations,  helps  in  Bible 
study,  etc.  These  have  been  useful  in  training  men  for 
the  secretaryship,  in  instructing  Association  officers  and 
workers,  and  in  preparing  the  way  for  effecting  new 
organizations,  securing  secretaries  or  starting  building 
enterprises.  About  one  hundred  such  publications  are  now 
offered  for  sale,  at  a  little  above  the  expense  of  printing. 


432  AMERICAN  INTERNATIONAL  WORK.      Chap.  32,  C,  4. 

(h)  The  proceedings  of  the  International  Convention  and 
the  Year  Book.  The  latter  contains  the  annual  reports  of 
all  the  agents  of  the  Committee  and  of  its  corresponding 
members ;  the  year's  financial  statement ;  and  a  large 
amount  of  carefully  tabulated  statistical  information, 
covering  the  American  field  in  detail  and  in  general  the 
work  elsewhere.  The  statistics  are  obtained  by  means  of 
a  well-devised  and  thorough  system  of  reports  from  the 
Associations,  (c)  A  small  annual,  containing  carefully 
selected  Scripture  topics  for  young  men's  meetings,  boys' 
meetings,  and  evangelistic  Bible  classes.  {d)  Record 
books,  circulars  of  information,  blanks,  tickets,  and  other 
miscellaneous  matter. 

4. — Securi7ig  and  training  employed  officers  of  the  Asso- 
ciation.— The  committee  has  much  to  do  in  seeking  out, 
training,  and  recommending  men  for  various  positions  in 
the  work,  especially  in  connection  with  new  fields,  the 
special  departments,  and  the  state  work.  Methods  of 
training  originated  by  the  committee  are  described  in 
chapter  13,  B.  The  International  Secretaries,  having  a 
general  knowledge  of  the  entire  field  and  maintaining 
communication  with  it,  have  many  opportunities  for 
securing  new  men  and  also  for  aiding  in  effecting  desired 
changes.  The  state  officers,  in  addition  to  their  indepen- 
dent work  in  this  line,  often  co-operate  with  the  inter- 
national. The  aggregate  work  done  by  them  in  this 
direction  is  now  far  greater  than  that  done  through  the 
International  Committee. 

5. — Aid  to  buildhig  enterprises. — Building  committees 
often  seek  advice  from  representatives  of  the  International 
Committee  regarding  the  location  and  plans  of  buildings, 
and  methods  of  raising  money.  A  visit  by  a  secretary  of 
the  committee  to  the  locality  is  often  necessary. 

6. — Aid  in  securing  funds. — The  committee  is  also 
called  upon  frequently  to  aid  individual  Associations  in 
raising  building  funds  and  in  meeting  various  financial 
emergencies,  or,  on  the  organization  of  a  new  field,  in 


Chap.  32,  C,  8.    American  international  work.  433 

securing  the  amount  needed  for  the  first  year's  expenses. 
State  Committees  are  also  aided,  when  it  appears  neces- 
sary, in  raising  money  for  their  work.  Many  an  enter- 
prise would  have  failed  except  for  such  assistance.  The 
international  officer  from  his  thorough  experience  is  able 
to  suggest  right  plans,  and  to  rally  and  organize  the  local 
workers  to  aid  in  their  execution. 

7. — Aid  to  conve?itio?is. — As  shown  with  some  detail  at 
the  beginning  of  chapter  31,  the  International  Convention 
was  the  only  meeting  place  of  Association  men  for  com- 
parison of  views  and  concerted  action  between  1854  and 
1866.  Under  recommendation  of  the  Albany  Convention, 
four  State  Conventions  met  in  the  fall  of  1866  at  the  call 
of  the  corresponding  members  of  the  committee.  Since 
that  time  the  organization  and  development  of  these  con- 
ventions and  their  executive  committees  has  been  a  prin- 
cipal j)art  of  the  work  of  the  International  Committee. 
They  exist  to-day  over  almost  the  entire  continent,  but  in 
varied  stages  of  development  calling  for  more  care  and 
attention  than  ever  before.  Members  and  secretaries  of 
the  committee  attend  every  such  gathering,  as  its  repre- 
sentatives. Its  secretaries  have  often  advised  with 
the  successive  executive  committees  of  the  General 
Secretaries'  Association.  The  committee  sustains  much 
closer  relations  to  occasional  gatherings  of  representa- 
tives of  the  College  and  Railroad  Associations.  Local 
conferences  in  the  interest  of  either  the  general  work  or 
some  special  department  are  often  held  under  the  auspices 
of  the  committee,  or  conjointly  with  a  state  or  a  city 
Association,  at  which  it  must  be  represented. 

8.  —  Jlel])  ill  disaster. —  When  overwhelming  disaster 
comes  to  an  Association  or  a  community,  calling  for 
sympathy  and  aid  from  the  Associations  or  the  public, 
the  committee,  from  its  advantageous  standpoint,  is  able 
readily  and  economically  to  ascertain  the  facts,  appeal 
for  the  needed  assistance,  and  forward  it  to  the  proper 
authorities. 


434  AMERICAN  INTERXATIOXAL   WORK.      Chap.  32,  C,  9. 

9^ — Secretaries  of  the  committee. — The  executive  force 
has  increased,  with  the  development  of  the  organization, 
from  a  single  employed  secretary  in  1868  to  twenty-two 
in  1891,  together  with  clerical  help  in  the  office.  Several 
experienced  men  are  also  employed  for  portions  of  each 
year  in  various  parts  of  the  field.  The  secretaries  may  be 
classified  as  follows  :  (<:/)  The  general  secretary,  as  the 
chief  executive  officer  of  the  committee,  is  responsible  for 
details  of  administration,  under  instructions  of  the  com- 
mittee through  its  chairman  and  sub-committees.  {h) 
Five  secretaries  and  assistant  secretaries  are  employed  at 
the  central  office,  in  conducting  its  correspondence,  super- 
vising its  publications,  perfecting  and  carrying  out  its  sys- 
tem of  records,  and  in  numberless  other  details,  through 
which  many  workers  are  advised  and  stimulated,  and  the 
individual  organizations  kept  in  helpful  touch  with  the 
center  and  each  other,  (c)  There  are  twelve  field  secre- 
taries, one  of  whom  is  designated  as  College  Secretary, 
another  as  Secretary  of  the  German  Department,  and  two 
others  as  Secretaries  of  the  Railroad  Department.  The 
others  are  known  as  secretaries  of  the  committee  and  per- 
form any  ser^dce  required,  work  being  assigned  to  them 
for  which  they  are  best  adapted  or  in  which  they  have  had 
most  experience.  For  example,  a  secretary  has  for  years 
been  employed  at  the  South,  and  chiefly  among  colored 
young  men.  Other  secretaries  have  spent  most  of  their 
time  in  the  college  and  railroad  departments.  {d) 
The  committee  has  four  secretaries  in  foreign  mis- 
sion fields,  one  in  India,  two  in  Japan,  and  one 
in  Brazil,  and  it  is  expected  that  other  calls  will  be  re- 
sponded to  as  soon  as  the  means  are  at  hand.  At  first 
those  secretaries  may  of  necessity  take  charge  of  a  local 
Association,  established  perhaps  as  a  working  model,  but 
as  soon  as  practicable  the  local  work  will  be  put  in  charge 
of  native  young  men  trained  for  the  purpose.  This  new 
field  promises  to  be  fruitful,  but  will  need  very  careful 
attention  from  the  committee. 


Chap.  32,  C,  10.      AMERICAN  INTERNATIONAL  WORK.  435 

10. — Finances. — The  expense  of  the  home  work  in  1891 
was  in  round  numbers  $63,500  and  of  the  foreign  work 
$9,500,  and  the  call  for  additional  workers  is  even  more 
urgent  now  than  ever  before.  The  question  of  ways  and 
means  is  therefore  vital  with  the  International  Committee, 
especially  as  most  men  give  precedence  to  both  the  local 
and  the  state  work  over  tliat  which  seems  farther  away 
and  less  obligatory.  The  ordinary  sources  of  income  are  : 
(a)  Subscriptions  from  Associations,  largely  made  at  the 
biennial  conventions.  As  comparatively  few  of  the  Asso- 
ciations are  represented  at  any  one  convention,  the  num- 
ber of  such  subscriptions  is  not  great,  but  it  is  increased 
somewhat  by  correspondence,  (h)  Week  of  prayer  collec- 
tions. A  much  larger  number  of  Associations  respond, 
often  with  small  sums,  but  affording  valuable  aid  in  the 
aggregate,  {c)  Individual  subscrij)tions  constitute  by  far 
the  largest  proportion  of  the  money  received.  Some  of 
these  subscriptions  are  received  at  conventions,  but  the 
greater  part  by  personal  solicitation.  After  deducting 
the  amount  given  readily,  some  of  it  statedly,  by  able 
friends  of  the  work,  a  large  sum  must  be  secured  each 
year  from  such  sources,  and  often  through  earnest  effort. 
{d)  Endowment  fund.  Only  one  bequest  has  been  re- 
ceived as  yet.  The  late  William  E.  Dodge,  of  New  York, 
who  had  been  accustomed  to  contribute  annually  $250  to 
the  work  of  the  committee,  bequeathed  to  it  a  legacy  of 
$5,000.  The  fund  thus  started  should  be  increased,  until 
it  becomes  some  such  stable  element  in  the  resources  of 
the  committee  as  a  local  Association  has  in  the  possession 
of  a  building,  (e)  Systematic  Giving  through  the  Exten- 
sion Fund. — Those  intimately  acquainted  with  thesQ 
matters  have  long  realized  the  need  of  an  improved 
system,  that  would  interest  a  large  number  of  persons  in 
giving  and  relieve  the  committee  from  its  heavy  burden 
of  annual  solicitation.  It  is  believed  that  the  plan  here 
described  will,  if  generally  introduced,  accomplish  these 
results  with  regard    to    several  departments  of  the  general 


436  AMERICAN  INTERNATIONAL  WORK.      Chap.  32,  C,  11. 

work.  It  is  proposed  to  secure  from  the  largest  possible 
number  of  the  members  in  each  Association  weekly  or 
monthly  pledges,  the  amounts  not  being  so  large  but  that 
they  may  be  paid  Avithout  embarrassment  or  any 
interference  with  local  obligations,  the  pledges  rang- 
ing from  a  few  cents  upwards  per  week  or  month. 
The  money  received  is  to  be  appropriated  and  distributed 
by  the  board  of  directors.  Four  objects  are  specially  sug- 
gested ;  the  home  work  of  the  International  Committee, 
the  state  work,  the  foreign  work  of  the  International 
Committee,  and  the  Association  Training  Schools.  The 
committee  in  charge  will  attend  to  the  collections,  secure 
new  pledges,  and  by  j^ersonal  effort  and  occasional  reports 
stimulate  interest  in  the  movement.  Regularity  is  needed 
in  collecting,  a  desirable  plan  being  to  collect  each  month 
and  forward  quarterly  to  the  treasurers  of  the  organiza- 
tions benefited.  This  account  may  well  be  kept  and  re- 
ported apart  from  the  treasurer's  regular  account.  This 
plan  includes  :  (a)  a  definite  motive  for  acquainting  the 
membership  regularly  with  various  lines  of  the  work, 
wliich  should  result  in  broader  views  and  permanent  interest, 
and  {b)  education  in  giving,  through  which  young  men  may 
become  not  only  more  systematic  but  more  liberal  in  their 
benefactions  generally.  A  few  Associations  are  designat- 
ing some  selected  Sunday  in  each  year  as  "  Extension  day," 
and  making  special  effort  on  that  day  through  reports, 
addresses,  and  other  suitable  means  to  promote  interest  in 
the  movement. 

The  International  Committee  has  prepared  an  "  Exten- 
sion Fund  Record  Book,"  No.  44.  It  supplies  without 
charge  circulars,  pledge  cards,  and  pamphlets  on  the  sub- 
ject. 

11. — The  International  Coni^ention. —  The  committee 
has  charge  of  all  the  arrangements  for  these  conventions, 
which  have  always  been  the  great  representative  gather- 
ings of  the  American  Associations,  maintaining  among  the 
multiplied   sectional    meetings    distinctive    features    that 


Chap.  32,  C,  11.     AMERICAN  INTERNATIONAL  WORK.  437 

render  them  conspicuous  and  unique.  Chief  among  these 
is  their  'personnel.  Delegations  are  present  from  nearly 
every  state  and  province  to  the  remotest  sections  of  the 
affiliating  countries,  and  the  limited  representation  is  apt 
to  secure  from  the  Associations  their  best  men,  including 
many  of  wide  reputation.  The  international,  state,  and 
provincial  officers,  and  many  local  secretaries  are  present, 
and  usually  delegates  from  Associations  in  other  lands. 
Added  to  these  are  always  distinguished  visitors  from  the 
vicinity  of  the  meeting,  and  others  invited  to  participate  in 
the  exercises, — men  of  note  as  biblical  scholars,  public  edu- 
cators, and  statesmen  or  business  men.  The  social  features 
are  also  peculiarly  attractive.  Old  friends,  often  former 
fellow-laborers  but  now  scattered  over  the  continent,  meet 
again,  and  many  others,  familiar  to  one  another  only  by 
name,  become  personally  acquainted. 

The  conventions,  at  first  held  annually,  were  by  action 
at  Louisville,  in  1877,  made  biennial.  There  had  been  a 
growing  conviction  that  the  other  numerous  conventions 
held  each  year  precluded  the  necessity  of  an  annual  inter- 
national meeting,  and  experience  had  shown  the  difficulty 
of  securing  the  attendance  of  representative  men  at  such 
frequent  gatherings.  The  biennial  meetings  have  been 
held  uniformly  in  May. 

Representation  is  governed  {a)  by  the  "  Portland  reso- 
lutions "  of  1869,  limiting  it  to  Associations  whose  active 
membership  is  composed  of  young  men  that  are  members 
of  evangelical  churches  (see  Chap.  3,  F,  2),  {h)  by  the 
numerical  basis  adopted  at  TV'ashington  in  1871,  as  fol- 
lows :  "Two  delegates  from  each  Association  of  one 
hundred  members  or  less,  and  one  additional  delegate  for 
each  additional  one  hundred  members  ;  but  no  Association 
shall  be  allowed  more  than  ten  delegates."  Only  active 
members  are  to  be  enumerated,  and  the  International  Com- 
mittee is  instructed  not  to  place  any  Association  on  the 
roll  unless  a  copy  of  its  constitution  and  a  classified  numer- 
ical statement   of  its  membership   have  been  filed   in  its 


438  AMERICAN  INTERNATIONAL  WORK.      Chap.  32,  C,  12. 

office,  (c)  Delegates  must  be  active  members,  (d)  At 
Kansas  City  (1891)  the  International  Committee  was  in- 
structed not  to  recognize  Associations  hereafter  organized 
in  cities  and  towns  where  Associations  already  exist,  nor 
to  admit  them  to  representation  in  International  Conven- 
tions, College   and  Colored    Associations    excepted. 

Very  much  in  chapter  31,  E,  regarding  the  preparatory 
work  and  conduct  of  a  State  Convention  applies  here. 
For  other  particulars  see  the  rules  of  the  International 
Convention,  which  are  included  in  each  convention  report. 

12.— The  Bay  and  Week  of  Prayer. — (See  Chap.  22,  B^ 
2,  and  Int.  pph.  Ko.  598.)  The  annual  day  of  prayer 
observed  by  the  Associations  dates  from  the  memorable 
convention  of  1866,  at  which  the  following  resolutions 
were  adopted  : 

"  Resolved^  That  this  convention  recommends  to  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  of  the  United  States 
and  British  Provinces,  to  set  apart  the  first  Sunday  in 
November  as  a  day  of  prayer  for  the  increase  and  spiritual 
prosperity  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations 
throughout  the  world. 

^^  Mesolved,  That  we  invite  all  kindred  Associations  in 
every  land  to  unite  with  us  on  that  day  in  praying  for 
this  object. 

^^  Mesolved,  That  we  most  earnestly  request  the  clergy 
generally  to  address  their  congregations  on  that  day  on 
the  object  and  work  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tions. 

^^  Resolved,  That  the  Executive  Committee  be,  and  they 
are  hereby,  requested  to  issue  a  circular  before  the  fifteenth 
day  of  September  next,  calling  the  attention  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations  of  the  world  to  the  action  of 
this  convention." 

The  substance  of  this  action  was  re-afiirmed  at  the 
Detroit  Convention,  in  1868,  but  the  da}^  was  changed  to 
the  second  Sunday  in  ISTovember.  Similar  action  has  been 
taken  at  each  convention  since. 


Chap.  32,  C,  13.    American"  international  work.  439 

The  fifth  World's  Conference  (Paris,  1867,)  "unani- 
mously decided  to  set  apart  the  second  Sunday  of  Novem- 
ber and  all  the  evevMigs  of  the  folloioing  loeeJc  for  special 
prayer  for  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  throughout 
the  entire  world." 

There  was  probably  no  general  observance  beyond  that 
of  the  annual  Sunday  for  some  years,  at  least  in  America. 
In  1874,  however,  the  New  York  City  Association  began 
the  observance  of  the  whole  Aveek.  The  seventh  World's 
Conference,  which  met  in  August  of  the  next  year  at  Ham- 
burg, Germany,  recommended  the  extension  to  a  whole 
week  ;  and  the  following  month,  in  its  usual  circular  to  the 
Associations,  the  American  International  Committee  made 
a  similar  recommendation.  The  observance  of  the  week 
was  first  recognized  in  the  International  Convention  hj  the 
adoption  at  Cleveland  in  1881,  of  a  resolution  submitted 
by  the  committee  on  the  International  Committee's  report. 
Experience  has  fully  demonstrated  the  wisdom  of  such  a 
season  for  prayer  and  special  religious  impulse  at  this  time 
of  the  year.  The  work  of  the  various  secular  departments 
should  then  be  thoroughly  organized  and  in  full  operation, 
and  the  membership  at  its  best,  with  a  large  accession  of 
new  material,  so  not  only  is  there  every  opportunity  and 
stimulus  for  earnest  effort,  but  both  the  active  and  asso- 
ciate membership  are  reminded  naturally  by  the  recurrence 
of  this  stated  observance  of  the  high  aim  of  the  institution. 
Much  benefit  also  accrues  both  to  the  cause  at  large 
and  to  the  local  organization,  by  bringing  the  Association 
work  before  the  people  each  year  through  the  sermons  of 
pastors  and  the  public  meeting. 

Circulars  calling  attention  to  the  day  and  week  of 
prayer,  together  with  hints  as  to  their  observance,  topics 
suggested  for  the  various  services,  and  information  for 
pastors  and  speakers  regarding  the  field  and  work  of  the 
Associations,  are  sent  out  from  the  international  office  well 
in  advance,  and  every  effort  made  to  stimulate  and  aid  the 
Associations  in  making  the  best  use  of  the  occasion. 


440  AMERICAN  INTERNATIONAL  WORK.      Chap.  32,  C,  12. 

At  the  International  Convention  of  1874,  held  at  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  into  tlie  usual  clay  of  prayer  resolutions  the 
suggestion  was  incorporated  that  gifts  be  collected  in  the 
public  meeting  held  on  that  day,  and  devoted  to  the  work 
in  charge  of  the  committee.  Similar  action  was  taken  the 
year  following,  at  the  Richmond  Convention,  where  report 
was  made  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  received  from 
day  of  prayer  collections  the  preceding  year.  This  excel- 
lent custom  has  been  continued,  and  the  amount  received 
from  this  source  in  1891  was  $6,843. 


CHAPTER  33. 

THE   WORLD'S  CONFERENCES  AND   THE    CENTRAL 
INtERJSTATIONAL  COMMITTEE. 


1. — The  year  1855  witnessed  a  very  important  feature  in 
the  development  of  the  work  of  the  Young  Men's  Christ- 
ian Associations.  In  Paris  there  had  existed  for  some 
years  an  Association  formed  on  the  model  of  that  in  Lon- 
don. The  leading  spirit  of  this  little  society  was  a  young 
Protestant  pastor,  Jean  Paul  Cook,  whose  father  was  an  Eng- 
lish clergyman  and  his  mother  an  estimable  French  lady. 
Speaking  with  equal  facility  the  languages  of  both  his 
parents,  and  being  manager  of  the  business  affairs  of  his 
religious  community,  he  was  admirably  qualified  to  influ- 
ence alike  the  young  Englishmen  who  lived  in  the  French 
capital  for  commercial  purposes  and  the  students  who 
came  from  various  parts  of  France,  Switzerland,  and  Ger- 
many. Better  qualification  still  he  had  in  a  loving  and 
catholic  spirit,  and  in  deep  personal  realization  and  enjoy- 
ment of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  labored 
in  conjunction  with  a  few  faithful  friends  in  Paris,  and 
was  especially  assisted  by  Eugene  Laget  of  Nimes  in  pro- 
pagating the  missionary  principles  of  the  Associations 
among  the  young  men  of  the  Protestant  churches  of 
France,  so  that  in  many  towns  and  villages  there  sprang 
up  little  meetings  for  prayer  and  fellowship  among  the 
young  men,  which  were  blessed  as  a  means  of  preserving 
them  against  the  assaults  of  infidelity  and  the  restless  and 
unceasing  activities  of   the  Romish  priesthood.      Corre- 


442  THE  world's  conferences,  etc.    Chap.  33,  2. 

spondence  was  kejJt  up  between  these  meetings  and  the 
Union  Chretienne  de  Jeunes  Gens  in  Paris,  and  at  length, 
as  the  result  of  a  commonly  expressed  need,  they  deter- 
mined on  a  conference  for  mutual  information  and  encour- 
agement, to  be  held  at  the  capital  in  August  1855.  The 
purpose  once  formed  was  extended,  and  invitations  were 
addressed  to  other  Associations  in  other  countries  to  send 
delegates,  so  that  there  assembled  in  Paris  representatives 
from  America,  Belgium,  England,  Germany,  Holland, 
Scotland,  and  Switzerland,  as  Avell  as  from  many  parts  of 
France.* 

2. — The  happy  results  of  this  original  World's  Confer- 
ence were,  first,  that  the  leaders  of  this  work  in  different 
countries,  through  social  intercourse  and  much  fervent 
united  prayer,  had  their  interest  deepened  in  the  common 
enterprise,  and  their  practical  knowledge  both  of  methods 
of  labor  and  of  the  encouragements  to  labor  increased  ; 
second,  the  Associations  in  all  lands  became  affiliated  in  a 
succession  of  similar  conferences  ;  and,  perhaps  most  im- 
portant of  all,  the  adoption  of  a  basis  of  union  by  all  the 
Associations,  which,  by  recognizing  as  fundamental  the 
doctrines  of  the  deity  and  atonement  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  the  authority  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  protected 
them  in  after  time  against  any  attempts  to  introduce  un- 
sound doctrines  or  to  secularize  their  objects. 

The  subsequent  conferences  have  been  held  in  important 
cities  of  Europe  and,  as  a  rule,  triennially.  Once  or 
twice  the  regular  recurrence  of  the  meetings  has  been  in- 
terrupted by  a  disturbed  state  of  international  affairs, 
and  they  have  several  times  been  made  to  coincide  in  time 
and  place  with  the  holding  of  a  general  conference  of 
the  Evangelical  Alliance  or  of  a  world's  industrial  exhibi- 
tion, such  coincidence  naturally  leading  to  a  larger  attend- 
ance. 

'>, — After  the  first  conference  no  important  change  oc- 

*  The  above  is  slightly  abridged  from  W.   E.   Shipton's   "History  of  the 
London  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,"  Vol.  I.  Exeter  Hall  Lectures. 


Chap.  33,  4    the  world's  confereis'Ces,  etc.  443 

curred  in  connection  with  the  general  work  for  many 
years.  Speaking  of  the  following  conferences,  Mr.  Ship- 
ton  says,  they  "  were  of  necessity  occupied  in  considering 
means  for  the  extension  of  the  work  on  the  principles 
already  established,  to  which  there  was  nothing  to  add, 
and  from  which  there  has  been  in  no  case  any  disposition 
to  depart."  But  definite  efforts  at  extension  were  of 
necessity  made  by  the  various  national  or  local  organiza- 
tions, as  such,  there  being  no  organic  agency  for  the  action 
of  the  united  Associations. 

For  the  relation  of  the  conference  to  the  observance  of 
the  day  and  week  of  prayer,  see  chapter  32,  C,  12. 

4. —  In  August,  1878,  the  eighth  conference  met  in 
Geneva,  Switzerland,  the  action  of  which  marked  an  en- 
tirely new  epoch  in  the  general  work.  Josias  Paradon,  of 
France,  read  a  paper  on  "  How  can  we  introduce  an  effec- 
tive international  bond  of  union  ?  "  He  described  three 
propositions  that  had  been  submitted  toward  the  accom- 
plishment of  that  object :  The  formation  of  a  permanent 
committee,  the  publication  of  a  universal  newspaper,  and 
the  adoption  of  a  distinctive  badge.  He  strongly  recom- 
mended the  first  of  these,  but  dismissed  the  others  as  being 
inexpedient  at  that  time.  A  full  discussion  revealed  a 
strong  and  growing  sentiment  in  favor  of  the  recommenda- 
tion, and  a  small  but  determined  conservative  opposition. 
The  second  morning,  on  comparing  three  sets  of  resolu- 
tions, drawn  up  respectively  by  the  Swiss,  French,  and 
American  delegations,  they  were  found  so  nearly  alike 
that  one  was  readily  agreed  upon  for  presentation  to  the 
conference.  It  contained  the  following  points  :  The  con- 
ference to  appoint  a  Central  International  Committee  ; 
this  committee  to  have  its  headquarters  with  a  resident 
executive  commission  at  Geneva,  with  power  to  fill  vacan- 
cies and  name  a  member  from  each  country  not  repre- 
sented, to  prepare  and  publish  a  report  of  the  present  con- 
ference, and  to  arrange  for  the  next  conference,  at  which  it 
^vonld  submit  a  report  of  its  work,  together  with  statistics 


444  THE  WORLD'S  CONFERENCES,  ETC.      Chap.  33,  5. 

and  information  gathered  from  the  Associations  of  all 
lands  ;  the  Geneva  bureau  to  make  no  important  decisions 
without  consulting  the  non-resident  members,  and  the  com. 
mittee  to  involve  the  conference  in  no  financial  responsi- 
bility. These  resolutions  were  adopted,  with  but  four 
dissenting  votes. 

5. — While  the  initial  action  in  the  conference  came  from 
the  French  delegation,  and  the  need  of  some  more  fixed 
bond  of  union  may  have  been  felt  by  many,  there  is  little 
doubt  but  that  the  action  taken  was  shaped  by  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  American  system  and  by  suggestions  derived 
from  its  successful  methods  of  work.  The  forty-four 
Americans  present  in  a  total  attendance  of  four  hundred 
and  fifty-five,  constituting  the  first  large  trans-Atlantic 
delegation  at  a  World's  Conference,  contributed  not  a 
little  to  this  result,  as,  in  addition  to  the  influence  of  num- 
bers, their  arguments  were  backed  by  a  practical  exper- 
ience. Financial  contributions  in  aid  of  the  work  were 
made  at  the  conference  and  subsequently,  enabling  the 
committee  to  enter  upon  its  duties  under  advantageous 
circumstances. 

6. — As  originally  constituted,  the  committee  consisted 
of  four  members  resident  at  Geneva,  with  an  additional 
member  each  for  America,  France,  England,  Germany, 
Spain,  German  Switzerland,  and  French  Switzerland.  Im- 
mediately after  the  conference  members  were  added  for 
Holland  and  Sweden,  and  later  for  Belgium  and  Italy. 
The  necessity  for  an  executive  officer  of  the  committee 
was  at  once  felt,  and  Charles  Fermaud,  the  young  presi- 
dent of  the  Geneva  Conference  and  of  the  Central  Com- 
mittee, was  led,  at  no  small  sacrifice  of  worldly  prospects, 
to  accept  such  position,  which  he  has  since  held,  and  for 
which  he  is  qualified  not  only  by  tact  and  educational 
acquirements,  as  he  speaks  fluently  the  principal  European 
languages,  but  by  a  loving  and  earnest  zeal  in  the  cause 
of  Christ. 

7. — The  committee's  report  to  the  London  Conference, 


Chap.  33,  8.     the  world's  conferences,  etc.  445 

1881,  outlines  the  three  years'  Avork  :  (a)  The  publication 
of  the  proceedings  of  the  Geneva  Conference,  and  of  circu- 
lars, (b)  A  correspondence  of  some  ten  thousand  letters. 
{(?)  Visitation  of  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  Asso- 
ciations in  France,  Germany,  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
Holland,  Spain,  Canada  and  the  United  States,  the 
organization  of  twenty-five  new  European  Associations, 
and  attendance  at  various  Association  and  other  evangeli- 
cal gatherings,  (d)  The  collecting  and  printing  of  statis- 
tics, including  the  preparation  and  distributing  of  circu- 
lars and  blanks  in  many  languages,  (e)  Establishing  an 
international  information  agency,  for  gathering  and  im- 
parting information,  supplying  letters  of  introduction,  giv- 
ing assistance,  etc. ,  which  has  been  found  very  useful  in 
connection  with  work  for  young  men  in  Europe.  The 
committee  also  reported  a  design  for  an  international 
badge,  which  was  adopted.  Thirty-three  meetings  were 
held  by  the  Geneva  bureau,  at  many  of  which  one  or  more 
of  the  non-resident  members  were  present. 

8. — The  Berlin  Conference,  1884,  advised  the  committee 
to  concentrate  its  labors  j^rincipally  upon  one  or  two 
new  countries,  with  the  purpose  "  either  to  create  Associa- 
tions or  to  give  the  existing  Unions  a  self-sustaining  organ- 
ization." The  adoption  of  this  policy  resulted  in  a  quicken- 
ing of  the  work  especially  in  Italy  and  Sweden,  including 
the  formation  of  National  Unions  in  both  these  countries. 
It  was  also  suggested  that  a  session  of  the  full  committee 
be  held  in  the  interval  between  the  conferences.  This 
was  carried  out  in  the  summer  of  1886,  when  a  two  days' 
meeting  was  held  at  Geneva,  there  being  present,  besides 
the  local  quorum,  representatives  from  America,  Belgium, 
France,  Germany,  Great  Britain,  Italy,  Spain,  Sweden,  and 
Switzerland.  One  important  result  was  the  decision  to 
emphasize  the  securing  of  local  general  secretaries  for  As- 
sociations in  the  leading  cities  of  the  continent.  The 
presence  and  report  of  the  Berlin  general  secretary  made 
deej^  impression  in  favor  of  a  similar  officer  and  work  for 


446  THE  world's  conferences,  etc.    Chap.  33,  9. 

Geneva.  The  work  advocated  was  of  the  newer  type,  an 
adaptation  of  what  has  been  tested  as  desirable  in  the 
American  and  English  Associations. 

9. — During  tliis  interval,  correspondence  was  conducted 
with  various  missionary  societies,  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  what,  if  an}',  Associations  were  in  existence 
on  their  fields,  whether  they  might  be  brought  into  affilia- 
tion with  the  alliance,  and  whether  work  among  3'oung  men 
in  the  missionary  fields  could  be  promoted  through  the 
efforts  of  the  committee. 

10. — The  conference  at  Stockholm,  in  1888,  adopted 
among  others,  the  following  recommendations:  "That 
the  Central  International  Committee  continue  to  give 
chief  attention  (l)  to  promoting  the  development  of 
Association  work  in  well  selected  central  cities  by  the 
calling  and  training  of  competent  general  secretaries  for 
such  cities  ;  (2)  to  stimulating  the  organization  of  national 
alliances  of  the  Associations  on  the  basis  of  1855."  The 
committee  was  also  instructed  to  codify  the  existing  rules 
and  by-laws,  witli  such  additions  as  might  seem  desirable 
touching  the  appointment  of  the  members  of  the  com- 
mittee itself  ;  the  regulation  of  its  business,  and  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  International  Conferences  and  their 
committees  ;  and  to  submit  a  draft  of  the  same  to  the 
national  executives  of  the  various  countries,  with  a  view 
to  their  approval,  at  least  one  year  before  the  next  confer- 
ence for  consideration  and  adoption.  The  conference  also 
authorized  an  exhibit  of  pictures  of  Association  buildings 
and  of  ^publications  at  the  Paris  exhibition  of  1889,  which 
was  successfully  carried  out. 

At  Stockholm,  work  upon  the  foreign  mission  field  Avas 
brought  to  the  attention  of  the  conference  under  the  fol- 
lowing circumstances  :  Xo  call  from  the  field  had  come 
directly  to  the  committee  or  to  previous  conferences  for 
such  personal  visitation  by  a  visiting  Association  secretary 
as  the  committee  had  the  resources  either  in  men  or  money 
to  respond  to  favorably.     But,  while  this  had  been  true  of 


Chap.  33, 11.     THE  world's  coa^fereivces,  etc.  447 

tlie  World's  Conference,  some  definite  calls  had  come  and 
were  coming  from  the  foreign  mission  field  to  American 
Associations  and  Association  workers,  and  the  man  and 
resources  needed  for  favorable  reply  had  in  one  case  been 
providentially  offered  in  America.  This  was  in  connec- 
tion with  the  college  department  of  the  American  Associa- 
tions. Members  of  these  College  Associations  had  for 
many  years  been  entering  the  ministry  after  graduation, 
and  some  of  these  had  gone  out  upon  the  missionary  field. 
The  American  College  Secretary,  L.  D.  Wishard  (see 
Chap.  3,  F,  3,  /),  had  maintained  correspondence  with 
many  of  these  missionaries,  and  previous  to  1887  nearly  a 
score  of  College  Associations  had  been  organized  in  for- 
eign missionary  colleges  ;  and  Mr.  Wishard  was  solicited 
to  visit  these  children  of  the  American  College  Associa- 
tions and  to  extend  his  labors  to  neighboring  institutions 
and  cities,  so  far  as  possible.  One  leading  missionary  laid  out 
for  him  an  entire  jear's  work  in  visiting  the  educational 
institutions  of  a  single  country. 

A  few  of  the  American  friends  of  Mr.  Wishard  and  of 
the  work  had  offered  early  in  1888  the  considerable  sum 
of  money  needed  for  such  a  visitation  by  him,  to  continue 
for  some  four  years.  The  American  International  Com- 
mittee had  granted  him  leave  of  absence,  but  had  as  yet 
(1888)  no  instructions  from  its  convention  in  relation  to 
such  work  upon  the  foreign  mission  field.  The  committee 
of  the  World's  Conference,  when  they  became  acquainted, 
early  in  1888,  with  these  facts  and  with  Mr.  Wishard  him- 
self on  a  visit  made  by  him  to  Geneva,  asked  him  to  act 
as  their  representative  in  the  tour  which  he  was  undertak- 
ing, provided  this  could  be  done  without  any  expense  or 
solicitation  of  money  by  the  committee.  The  Stock- 
holm Conference  confirmed  this  arrangement,  and  Mr. 
Wishard,  after  returning  to  America,  set  out  for  Japan  to 
begin  his  visitation  early  in  1889. 

11- — The  Central  International  Committee  elected  at  the 
Stockholm  Conference  consisted  of  ten  members  resident 


448  THE  world's  conferences,  etc.    Chap.  33, 11 

at  Geneva,  including  the  active  officers  ;  and  of  seventeen 
non-resident  members,  including  a  member  each  from 
America,  Australia,  Austria-Hungary,  Belgium,  England, 
France,  Germany,  Holland,  Italy,  Russia,  Spain,  Sweden, 
and  Switzerland,  corresponding  members  for  Denmark  and 
Norwav,  and  an  honorary  secretary  each  for  England  and 
America. 


APPENDIX. 


The  only  attempt  here  made  is  to  indicate  the  matter  to  be 
used  in  these  forms,  not  the  display  or  style  of  printing  for  actual 
use.  Wise  attention  to  such  details  as  the  selection  of  paper  and 
type,  and  the  amount  of  space  needed  where  writing  is  to  be 
inserted,  adds  greatly  to  the  attractiveness  and  convenience  of 
printed  matter. 

The  full  name  "  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,"  with  the 
address  and  usually  the  names  of  officers  of  the  Association,  should 
be  given  in  the  headings  of  letters  and  circulars.  Such  headings 
are  omitted  here. 


SAMPLE    No.     I.     (51^x83^  in.) 
See  Chap.  9,  A,   5. 

NOTICE  OF  ELECTION  TO  ACTIVE  MEMBERSHIP. 


Mr 

Dear  Sir  : — It  gives  us  pleasure  to  notify  you  of  your  election  to  Active 
Membership  in  our  Association.  Please  return  the  associate  member's  ticket 
which  you  received  at  the  time  of  your  admission,  tliat  it  may  be  exchanged. 

We  would  like  to  meet  you  on evening,  the ,   to 

confer  with  you  about  our  committee  work,  in  the  hope  that  you  may  be  able 
to  assist  in  it.  If  this  date  is  not  convenient  for  you.  kindly  name  one  that 
will  be. 

We  hope  you  can  arrange  to  attend  at  least  the  Members'  Meeting  on 
the  ....  of  each  month,  and  the  j'oung  men's  meeting  on  ....  . 
evenings. 

Trusting  that  we  may  have  your  heartj^  co-operation  in  our  efforts  on  behalf 
of  the  young  men  of  the  citj',  we  are  sincerely  yours,  

Ch'n.  Membership  Com. 

General  Sec^y. 

P.S.— Will  you  kindly  inform  us  at  once  of  any  change  in  your  business  or 
residence  address. 


SAMPLE    No.     2.     (53.^x81/^  in.) 
See  Chai'.  9,  A,  5. 

INQUIRY  ABOUT  APPLICANT  FOR  ASSOCIATE  MEMBERSHIP. 


Dear  Sir  : 

Mr 

has  applied  for  Associate  Membership  in  this  association  giving  us  your  name 
as  a  reference. 

The  Association  admits  any  young  man  to  Associate  Membership,  without 
regard  to  his  i-ehgious  views,  if  he  is  believed  to  be  of  good  moral  character 
Your  early  reply  concerning  him,  in  enclosed  stamped  envelope,  will  greatly 
oblige,  Yours  sincerely, 


To  Ch'n.  Membership.  Corp 


SAMF^LE  No.  3.     (7>^x8Min.) 

See  Chap.  9,  B,  2. 

APPLICATION  FOR  MEMBERSHIP. 


[Large  Form— Front.] 

The  applicant  is  admitted  on  condition  that  his  references,  upon  investiga- 
tion, i>rove  satisfactory.    If  they  are  not  satisfactory,  the  fee  will  be  returned. 
For  information  and  terms  see  other  side. 


No 

Cash  book  folio, . 
Mem.  Reg.  


APPLICATION   FOR  MEMBERSHIP 
IN  THE  YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION 
OF 


,189 


Read  carefully  the  other  side. 


I  hei-eby  a  pply  for  membership  in  the  Young  Men's 

of ,  and  promise  conformity 

laws,  and  rules  of  the  association,  if  accepted. 

Full  Name '? 

Residence  ?    No 

Do  you  live  at  home  ? Are  you  boarding  ? 

How  long  have  you  lived  in  this  city  ? 

Business  address?     No 

To  which  address  shall  notices  be  sent  ? 

Limited  or  full  membership  ? 

(Limited,  $2.00  ;  Full,  $5.00  ;  Fee  luust  tccorapany  applicaiioii.    8eP 
otiier  side.) 

Do  you  wish  gymnasium  privileges  ? 

Date  and  place  of  birth  ? 

Are  you  married  ? 

What  is  your  religious  denomination  ? 

What  church  do  you  attend  ?. 

If  a  communicant  member,  of  what  church  ? Where  ? 

Name  and  address  of  pastor  ? 

Name  of  business  firm  ? 

Nature  of  business  ? 

Position  in  the  business  ? 


3  Christian  Association 
to  the  constitution,  by- 


In  view  of  the  small 
fee  charged  for 
membership,  it  is 
agreed  by  the  ap- 
plicant thac  the 
membership  ticket 
issued  on  this  appli- 
cation is  not  trans- 
ferable; that  its  loss 
or  destruction  term- 
inates the  n^ember- 
ship  of  the  person 
receiving  it;  that  no 
duplicate  will  be  is- 
sued; and  that  it  will 
be  forfeited  by  a 
violation  of  the  rules 
of  the  Association. 
The  ticket  must  be 
shown  on  request. 

These  questions  ai-e 
asked  that  the  Asso- 
ciation may  know 
what  classes  <>f 
young  men  are  seelc- 
ing  its  privileges. 


References,  1 Address 

2 Address 

By  a  resolution  of  the  Association,  these  blanks  must  be  filled  to  insure  the 
reception  of  the  proposition. 


Proposed  as  an  jActive^^^^ member  by 

Approved 189.  Elected 18 

Please  leave cents  that  the  Association  bulletin  may  be  mailed  to  you. 


SAMPLE  NO.  3.— Continued. 

(As  an  illustratiou  of  the  iniornial.iou  given,  the  following  is  quoted  from  the 
application  blank  of  the  Twenty-third  Street  Branch  of  the  New  York  Association. 

[Back.] 

INFORMATION    AI30UT    MEMBERSHIP. 

Any  man  over  sixteen  years  of  age  may  be  admitted  at  once  by  the 
secretary  or  assistant  secretaries  to  Associate  Membership,  upon  presentation  of 
satisfactory  evidence  that  he  is  of  good  moral  character. 

Any  young  man  over  sixteen  and  under  forty  years  of  age,  who  is  a  member 
in  good  standing  of  a  protestant  evangelical  church,  is  eligible  for  election  to 
Active  Membership  by  the  board  of  directors.  Only  active  membem  have 
voting  privileges.  It  is  desired  that  young  men  who  are  eligible,  and  who  are 
willing  to  co-operate  in  the  work  of  the  branch,  make  application  for  active 
membership.  Associate  tickets  are  at  once  issued  to  such,  and  changed  to 
active  on  their  election. 

Any  lad  under  sixteen  years  of  age,  who  is  engaged  in  service  for  his  liveli- 
hood, and  presents  proper  vouchers  from  his  parent,  guardian,  or  emjjloycr, 
certifying  as  to  his  age,  employment,  and  general  conduct,  may  be  admitted  by 
the  secretarj'  to  the  privileges  of  the  branch,  except  the  use  of  the  gymnasium 
in  the  evening.  No  boys  under  sixteen  years  will  be  admitted  to  the  gymnasium 
during  the  evening. 

INFORMATIOX  ABOUT  BOYS'  DEPARTMENT. 

Any  boy  between  the  ages  of  twelve  and  sixteen  may  become  an  associate 
member  of  tlie  boys'  department,  upon  furnishing  satisfactory  references  as  to 
character. 

If  a  member  in  good  standing  of  a  protestant  evangelical  church,  his  name 
may  be  submitted  to  the  committee  of  management  of  the  branch,  for  election 
to  active  iPxCmbership  in  the  department. 

A  member  may  retain  his  membership  in  the  department  imtil  he  reaches 
the  age  of  eighteen. 

Annual  fee  in  the  boys'  department,  $1.00. 

3Iembcrs  of  boys'  department,  under  sixteen  years  of  age,  by  the  payment 
of  an  additional  fee  of  $;4.00,  may  use  the  gymnasium  from  3.30  to  4.30  each 
afternoon,  from  Monday  to  Friday  inclusive,  and  from  10  to  12  on  Saturday 
morning.  They  will  have  special  class  instruction  and  personal  physical  exam- 
ination.   Two  boys  will  share  a  locker,  for  which  there  is  no  extra  charge. 

TERMS   OF    MEMBERSHIP. 

Full  ticket,  entitling  to  all  privileges  (except  physical  department)  for  one 

year  from  time  of  joining,  ......      $5.00 

Full  ticket,  entitling  to  all  privileges  (including  physical  department,  with 

locker,)  for  one  year  from  time  of  joining,  ....  8.00 
Limited  ticket,  entitling  to  reading  room,  library,  and  members'  meetings 

only,     ..........        2.00 

Life,  payable  at  one  time,  .......    100.00 

Theological  student's  ticket,  .......        3.00 

Boys'  department,  annual  fee,       .  .  .  .  .  .1.00 

Non-resident  student  ticket,  entitling  to  all  privileges  (including  physical 

department,  except  locker,)  for  six  -winter  months,  .  .        4.00 

Ar.r.ual  sr.hrcription  to  "Association  Notes,"  published  monthly,  25  cents. 


SAMPLE  No.  4.     (3x5 in. 


See  Chap,  o,  R,   2. 


APPLICATION  FOR  MEMBERSHIP. 


[Small  Form — Front.] 

No APPLICATION    FOK   MEMBERSHIP 

•O      X 

IN   THE   YOUNG  MEN's  CHRISTIAN   ASSOCIATION. 

189  .  Duespaidto 189  . 

Full  name  ? 

Residence  ?  (St.  and  No.) 

Business  address  ? 

At  home  ? Boarding  ? 

Limited  or  full  membership  ? Age  ? 

(See  ether  Bide.      Tea  must  accompany  applicaticn). 

Attend  what  church  ? 

Member  of  what  church  ? — Where  ? 

Occupation  ? 

Reference  ? Address  ? 


-^3 


g.   g     Proposed  as  an member. 

<J   H  By 


[The  above,  front  side  only  printed,  is  for  sale  by  the  International  Com- 
mittee, as  No.  632.] 

[Back.] 

THE  YOUNG   men's  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION 
OFFERS    TO    ITS    LIMITED    MEMBERSHIP  : 

A  cheerful  and  well-lighted  reading  room,  supplied  with  the  leading  papers 
and  magazines  ;  a  good  libi-ary  ;  a  cosy  parlor,  with  use  of  piano,  games,  etc. ; 
entertainments  and  receptions  ;  employment  and  boarding  register. 

Annual  feepaj'able  in  advance,  two  dollars,  or  less  than  four  cents  per  week. 

OFFERS   TO    ITS    FULL    MEMBERSHIP: 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  privileges,  lectures  and  educational  classes ; 
and  a  first  class  gymnasium,  furnished  with  modern  apparatus,  shower  baths, 
lockers,  etc.,  and  under  supervision  of  a  competent  physical  director. 

Annual  fee  payable  in  advance,  five  dollars,  or  less  than  ten  cents  per  week. 


Membership  is  not  limited  to.  members  of  churches.  Any  young  man  over 
sixteen  years  of  age,  giving  satisfactory  evidence  of  a  good  moral  character,  may 
be  admitted  as  an  associate  member  by  the  general  secretary. 

Members  are  divided  into  two  classes  : 

Active  Members.— Young  men  who  are  members  in  good  standing  of  an 
evangelical  church. 

Associate  Members.— Young  men  giving  evidence  of  good  moral  character. 


SAMPLE    No.     5.       (5Kx8^in.) 
See  Chap.  9,  B,  3. 

LETTER  ABOUT  VISITOR'S  TICKET. 


Mr 

Dear  Sir : — In  order  to  give  many  young  men  of  the  city  an  opportunity  to 
become  better  acquainted  with  the  Association  and  the  privileges  enjoyed  by  its 
members,  our  board  of  directors  has  authorized  the  membership  committee  to 
issue   "  Visitors' Tickets  "  good  for  a  period  of  two  weeks. 

In  accordance  with  the  above  I  enclose  two  such  tickets,  hoping  that  you 
will  hand  them  to  young  men  that  you  are  willing  to  recommend  and  that  are  at 
least  sixteen  years  of  age. 

The  tickets  must  then  be  presented  to  the  secretary,  at  the  rooms  of  the  As- 
sociation, for  dating  and  signature,  before  they  will  be  honored. 

Will  you  kindly  let  me  know  to  whom  these  are  given. 
Very  truly, 


Ch'n  Membership  Com. 

General  Secretary. 


[Front] 

VISITOR'S    TICKET. 

YOUNG   men's  christian   ASSOCIATION 


Admit  Mr 

To  full  membership  privileges. 

(See    other  side.) 

S^°Only  one  visitor's  ticket  issued  to  any  young  man. 

No Good  until 

c Secretary. 

Present  this  ticket  at  the  Association  rooms, street,  for 

dating  and  signature. 

[Back.] 

This  ticket  admits  to  the  use  of  Members'  Parlor,   Reading  Room,  Library, 

Educational  Classes,  Socials,  Popular  Talks,  Gymnasium,  and  Baths. 

The  holder  of  this  ticket  is  invited  to  become  a  member  of  this  Association. 

Annual  Fee  :— Full  membership,  including  physical  department  and  educational 

classes,  $5.00. 
Limited  membership,  entitling  to  all  privileges,  except  physical  department  and 

educational  classes,  $2.00. 

Not  Transferable. 


SAMPLl]  No.  6.     (5K>x8uin.: 

See  Chap.  9,  C.  6. 

LETTER    REGARDING    PAYMENT    CF    MEMBERSHIP    FEE,    SENT 
ONE  MONTM  BEFORE  THE  FEE  IS  DUE. 


Dear  Sir  : 

Your  membership  fee  in  the  Association  will  be  due  on  the  first  day  of 
next,  and  we  anticipate  your  continuance  with  us. 

'vVe  are  constantly  planning  ways  of  making  the  Association  more  attractive 
and  boaeScial  to  young  men.  If  you  cannot  j'ourself  make  full  use  of  the  privi- 
leges to  which  you  are  entitled,  you  may  be  sure  that  your  connection  with  us 
is  aiding  to  benefit  many  others. 

If  you  cannot  conveniently  call  at  the  office,  tho  amount  (S )  may  be 

sent  by  mail. 

Hoping  for  an  early  and  favorable  response,  we  remain 

Sincerely  yours, 


Ch'n.  Membership  Com. 

General  Secretary. 
Gymnasium  lockers  are  emptied  unless  fees  are  promptly  paid   /hen  due. 


LETTER  REGARDING  PAYMENT  OF  MEMBERSHIP  FEE,  SENT 
WHEN  FEE  IS  DUE. 


Dear  Sir  : 

We  mailed  you  last  month  a  notice  that  your  membership  fee  ($ ) 

in  this  Association  would  be  due  on  the  first  instant. 

Ti'xll  you  kindly  inform  us  whether  you  intend  to  continue  your  connection 
with  us,  and,  if  you  do  not,  vrill  you  favor  us  with  a  brief  statement  of  the 
reasons,  Tliereby  the  Association  may  be  provided  with  information  of  a  help- 
ful nature  in  its  efforts  to  improve  the  various  departments  of  the  work. 

A  stamped  envelope  is  enclosed  for  your  answer. 

Yours  sincerely, 


Ch'n.  Membership  Com. 

General  Socretarv. 


SAMPLE  No.  7. 


{2  X  ny-  in.) 


See  Chap.  9,  D,  3. 


Admit  Mr. 


YOUXG    men's  christian   ASSOCIATION.  j 

Cor streets.  ' 

VISITOR'S    PASS. 

(ilust   be   thowii    w'.in   requi  eU  ) 


Gen'l  Secretary. 


Front.] 


SAMPLB  No.  8.     (2x31^ in.) 

See  Chap.  9,  E,  2. 


[Bacfc.] 


t      QI-rMmMmmtm 


MembershipUcket 


ENTITLES  TO  FULL  PRI\'iLEGE5\ 


PAGS 


NO. 


LOCKER 


In  view  of  the  small   fee  charged  for  meml 
ship,   the    holder    of   this    ticket   agrees    that    it    is 
not    transferable,    nr^ust    be    shown    when    required, 
will  be  forfeited  for  violation  of    rule?    and  will  not 
be  duplicated  if  lost  or  destroyed. 


ANNUAL   FEE    PAID 


DATE   JOINED 


General  Secretary. 


kcHk-i^  Leave  Notice  at  Office  of  Change  of  Address. 
[These  tickets,  in  two  colors  for  full  and  limited  privilep:es,  and  with  the 
name  of  the  Association  printed  in,  are  sold  by  the  International  Committee  as 
No.  633]. 


SAMPLE    No.   9.     (l-lj^x-il  in.,  double  page). 

See  Chap.  9,  E,  4. 

THE  HERSHY  MEMBERSHIP  RECORD  AND  INDEX. 


Mr.  Hersey  gives  the  following  description  of  these  two  books : 

"The  Index,  protected  by  government  letters,  is  unique  in  this  respect: 
that  by  the  use  of  the  marginal  signs  ample  space  is  afforded  for  pages  and  the 
additional  advantage  of  five  years'  use  is  gained,  to  say  nothing  of  the  fact  that 
the  names  do  not  require  re-writing  each  year.  Other  advantages  are  rapidity 
in  finding  any  name  ;  the  possibility  of  using  the  Index  as  an  extra  address 
book  ;  neatness  and  simplicity. 

"The  Membership  Record,  also  protected  by  government  letters,  is  adapted 
to  a  membership  ranging  from  200  to  2,000  and  will  last  the  average  Association 
five  years. 

"The  number  column,  at  the  left  hand  margin  of  each  page,  is  to  aid  the 
eye  in  running  the  page,  and  to  facilitate  finding  any  name,  as  these  numbers 
correspond  with  the  indexed  name-number,  e.  g.    Birstow,  George  O.— found  in 


SAMPLE  No.  9.— Continued. 

the  Index  at  "Bi"— will  be  found  in  the  Membership  Record,  page  45,  line  5. 
Under  "  Bo"  in  the  Index,  Boydeh,  Edward  S.,  will  be  found  in  the  Membership 
Kecord,  page  45,  line  11. 

'•Most  of  the  other  headings  explain  themselves.  We  will  simply  add  that 
the  "  Joined  ''  column  is  for  the  original  date  on  which  the  member  joined  ; 
"What  Privileges"  means  whether  "Full,"  "Limited,"  "Sustaining,"  "Hon- 
orary," etc.     These  should  be  written  in  each  time. 

"  Important.— The  best  plan  for  accurately  recording  the  membership  is  to 
do  it  by  months. 

"  Have  a  separate  page  or  pages  for  January,  for  February,  and  so  on 
through  the  year,  headed  in  the  order  of  the  months.  To  get  your  exact  mem- 
bership you  have  simply  to  add  up  the  "Active"  and  the  "  Associate  "  columns 
under  each  month  ;  once  added  the  footings  may  be  used  the  next  month  (of 
course,  altering,  if  any  memberships  have  been  transferred  or  a  member  has 
withdrawn  or  died).  The  aggregate  will  give  j^ou  the  total  membership  cor- 
rectly, and  in  ten  minutes,  any  time  in  the  month.  In  this  respect  the  monthly 
method  of  entering  names  is  unequalled. 

"  Note.— As  the  month  in  which  the  annual  fee  is  due  comes  around,  you 
write  in  the  "  Remarks  "  column  opposite  the  names  of  those  who  pay,  "re- 
newed or  paid  "  such  a  date,  and  only  such  as  pay  are  then  written  forward  one 
year.  In  making  up  your  membership  you  have  now  nothing  to  do  with 
the  past  pages  or  months,  but  only  to  count  the  membership  forward,  beginning 
with  the  month  next  forward  of  the  date  on  which  you  are  working.  Thus  the 
book  is  ever  giving  you  the  actual  membership,  and  at  a  glance  forward  you 
may  see  what  members  need  to  "renew  "  the  coming  month,  and  by  referring 
to  the  preceding  pages  you  may  readily  note  those  who  are  delinquent,  and  urge 
them  to  continue  their  relation  to  the  Association." 

The  Index  and  Record  are  for  sale  by  the  Waterbury  Blank  Book  Manufac- 
turing Co.,  Waterbury,  Conn.,  and  by  the  International  Committee. 


SAMPLE     No.      10.         (31^x6  in.) 
See  Chap.    16,  B,   14. 

CARD  PLEDGE  FOR  BUILDING  SUBSCRIPTIONS. 


•Believing  that  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of 

is  an  institution  that  promotes  the  best  interests  of  Young  Men  and  the  welfare 
of  our  city,  and  that  the  work  of  the  Association,  which  is  now  dwarfed  and 
hampered  in  its  present  limited  quarters,  would  be  greatly  extended  in  a  suit- 
able building  ,  I,  the  undersigned,  promise  to  pay  to  the  said  Association 

dollars,  toward  the  purchase  of  lots  and  the  erection  tliereon  of  a  building 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  organization's  growing  work. 

"  This  subscription  is  payable  as  follows:    Twenty-five  per  cent,  when  the 

subscriptions  reach dollars,  and  twenty-five  per  cent. 

each  six  months  thereafter. 

Name, 


Address, . 

. . .  Member  of  Soliciting  Committee, 


SAMPLE  No.    II. 

See  Chai-.  i8,  A.  i. 

FORM  OF  BUDGET,  A. 
For  an  Association  of  1,500  to  2,000  members,  occupying  its  own  building. 


INVENTORY  OF  PROPERTY.  SEPTEMBER  1,  1891. 


BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES. 

Association  Building 

Athletic  field  and  buildings, 

Endowment  fund,  invested  in  mortgage  on  city  property, 


Less  mortgage  on  Association  building,     . 

BOARD   OF   DIRECTORS. 

Furniture  and  gymnastic  apparatus. 
Library,  6,000  volumes, 


100,000 
.5,000 
30.000  135,000 

io.o<y) 

125.0m) 

8,000 

5,000     13,000 
138,000 


FINANCIAL  STATEMENT  FOR  1890-91  AND  ESTIMATE  FOR  1891-£ 

BOARD   OF  TRUSTEES. 


RECEIPTS. 

Estimate 
for  1890-91. 

Received  in 
1890-91. 

Estimate 
for   1891-92. 

Interest  on  endowment  fund  (30,000;,     . 
Rents  of  stores,  offices  and  hall. 

1,500 
3,000 

4.500 

1,500 
2,900 

4,400 

1.500 
3,200 

4,700 

EXPENDITURES. 


Taxes  and  water, 

Insurance  on  building 

Alterations  and  repairs,    .... 

Interest  on  mortgage  (S 10. 000), 

One  fifth  general  secretary,  for  superin- 
tendence of  building. 

One-fourth  janitor  and  assistants,  on  ac- 
count of  tenants,       .... 

One-fifth  fuel  and  light,  on  account  of 
tenants,       • 


Net  income. 


Estimate 
for  1890-91, 


550 
275 
500 
500 

300 

250 

300 


1.825 


Expended 
1890-91. 

Estimate 
for  1891-92. 

565 
275 
465 
500 

600 
275 
400 
500 

300 

360 

250 

250 

285 

300 

2,640 

2.685 

1,760 

2,015 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 


Balance  from  previous  year,    . 
From  trustees: 

Net  income  from  building,    . 

Net  income  from  endowment  fund, 

]\Iembership  fees 

Boys'  depai'tment  fees,      .        .        '. 

Subscriptions 

Miscellaneous,      .        . 


Estimate 
for  1890-91, 


25 

325 

1,500  1,825 

5,000 
250 

6,450 
150 

13,700 


Received 

1890-91, 

Estimate 
for  1891-92. 

25 

40 

260 
1,500  1,760 

515 
1,500  2,015 

5.250 
275 

6,100 
140 

6.000 
300 

5,660 
200 

1.3,550 

14,215 

EXPENDITURES. 


General  Expenses:— 
Four-fittiis  general  secretary, 

Assistant, 

Assistant, 

Ca'-e  of  coat  room, 

Three-fourths  janitor  and  assistants,  . 
Furniture  an<l  repairs,     .... 
Four-fifths  fuel  and  light,      . 
Printing  and  advertising, 

Office  supplies, 

Postage, 

Insurance  on  furniture 

Religious  Department;—* 
Leader  of  music  and  hymn  books. 
Printing  and  advertising, 
Work  among  commercial  travelers,     . 
Educational  Department:— 
Library -Librariau,         .... 
New  books  and  binding, 

Reading  room, 

Evening  classes,  teachers  and  supplies, 
Lectures  and   talks,  less  receipts  from 
tickets  sold.        •        .        .        .        . 

Literary  society, 

Physical  Department:— 
Gymnasium -Physical  director  and  as- 
sistants, . 
Apparatus  and  supplies, 
Athletic  field — Superintendence    . 

Repairs  and  supphes, 
Social  Department:— 
Reception  committee,      .... 

Entertainments 

Members'  meetings,         .... 


Estimate      Expended  i  Estimate 
for  1890-91.       1890-91.      for  1891-92 


IMiscellaneous:— 

Employment,     . 

Incidentals. 
Boys'  Department:  — 

Secretary  in  charge. 

Religious  meetings 

Books  and  periodicals,    . 

Entertainments. 

Printing  and  stationery, 
German  Branch:— + 

Secretary,  .        .        .        , 


1,200 
750 
600 
200 
750 
:^00 

1,200 
550 

;:500 

:300 
50 


400 

250 


0,200 


650 


1,440 
800 
600 
200 
750 
200 

1.200 

550 

300 

300 

50 

425 

275 

50 


750 


General  Association  work:— 

State  work, 

Work  of  International  Com.  in  America,  $ 
Work  of  International  Com.  abroad,    . 
.    Association  Training  School, 


800 

800 

800 

400 

388 

400 

200 

194 

225 

800 

830 

850 

300 

279 

300 

25 

2,525 

24  2,515 
1,200 

50 
1,200 

2,625 

1,200 

200 

212 

300 

300 

300 

300 

300 

2,000 

285  1,997 

200 

2.000 

125 

118 

150 

150 

147 

150 

100 

375 

88   353 

100 

400 

100 

88 

100 

100 

200 

127   215 

100 

200 

600 

600 

600 

50 

52 

50 

100 

89 

125 

50 

32 

50 

50 

850 

53   826 

50 

875 

700 

700 

- 

750 

100 

100 

100 

40 

40 

50 

20 

20 

20 

20 

180 

20   180 

20 

190 

13,680 

13.510 

14,180 

Balance, 


*  The  amounts  appropriated  to  the  reUgious  and  social  departments  appear 
small  in  comparison  with  some  of  the  others.  But  mucla  work  is  done  in  these  de- 
partments by  the  secretaries,  whose  salaries  are  included  in  "  general  expenses." 

t  It  has  been  found  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  maintain  a  branch  of  this 
description  without  payment  by  the  Association  of  the  salary  of  the  branch  sec- 
retary or  a  considerable  part  of  it.  Such  payment  is  also  a  very  useful  tie, 
binding  the  branch  to  the  Association. 

Branches  receiving  corporate  support,  such  as  railroad  branches,  usually 
meet  their  own  expenses,  without  appropriations  from  the  Association. 

t  A  collection  for  the  international  work  taken  at  a  meeting  during  the  week 
of  prayer  for  young  men  would  not  be  included  in  the  budget  or  entered  in  tha 
regular  accounts  of  the  treasurer. 


SAMPLE  No.    12. 

See  Chap.   i8.  A,  i. 

FORM  OF  BUDGET,  B. 
For   an    Association   or  400  to   500   members,  occupying   rented   rooms. 


INVENTORY  OF  PROPERTY,  SEPTEMBER  1,  1891. 


Furniture  and  gjTnnastic  apparatus, 
Library.  500  voiiimes. 


1.700 
350  2,050 


FINANCIAL  STATEMENT  FOR  1890-91  AND  ESTIMATE  FOR  1891-92. 


RECEIPTS. 

Estimate 
for  1890-91. 

Received 
189t)-91. 

Estimate 
for  1891-92. 

Balance  from  previous  year,     . 

Membership  fees 

Boys'  department  fees 

^Vomen's  Committee,  for  furniture,   . 

Subscriptions 

Miscellaneous, 

15 

1.000 

'  40 

200 

2,100 

3,355 

15 
930 

47 

150 

2,071 

50 

43 
1,000 

50 

200 

2,200 

60 

3.263 

3.553 

EXPENDITURES. 

Estimate 
for  1890-91. 

Expended 
1890-91. 

Estimate 
for  1891-92. 

General  expenses: — 

General  secretary, 

Assistant, 

Janitor, 

Rent,      .        , 

Furniture  and  repairs,       .        .        .        , 

Fuel  and   ight, 

Printing  and  office  supplies. 
Insurance  and  incidentals. 

900 
500 
250 
500 
200 
150 
140 
40  2,680 

900 
500 
250 
500 
140 
144 
152 
32  2,618 

72 

41       113 

900 
600 
250 
500 
200 
150 
140 
35  2,775 

Religious  department:— 
Music  and  hymn  books,      .... 
Printing, 

80 

40      120 

140 

125      265 

75 

50 

40        90 

40 

25 

10 

5 

5        45 

75 

50      125 

Educational  department:— 
Library  and  reading  room, 
Classes,  literary  society,  and  talks. 

134 

119      253 

150 

190      340 

Physical  department: — * 
Apparatus,  repairs,  and  supplies,    . 

Social  department: — 
Reception  committee,         .... 
Entertainments  and  members'  meetings. 

Boys'  department:— 
Reading  and  amusement  room, 

General  Association  work:— 
State  work.  ....... 

Work  of  the  International  Committee  in 

America, 

Work    of    the    International  Committee 

abroad, 

.    Association  Traming  School, 

72 

47 

38        85 

34 

25 

10 

5 

5        45 

100 

50 

40        90 

50 

25 

10 

5 

5        45 

Balance,        ..... 

3.315 

3,220 
43 

3,525 

3,263 


*  The  general  or  assistant  secretary  superintends  the  physical  department. 


SAMPLE    No.     13.        (2Mx4i^  in.) 

See  Chap.  18,  A,  2. 

CARD  PLEDGES  FOR  RUNNING  SUBSCRIPTIONS. 


The  undersigned  agi'ees  to  conti'ibute  to  the  Young  Men's  Chrislian  As- 
sociation of  until  this  pledge  is  increased,  diminishe<l, 

or  revoked,  tiie  sum  of  per   year    from  date,  payable 


Sighed 

189 

Unless   otherwise    stated,  sums    of    $10   and   under   are   to   be   paid   on 

Isteachyear;  sums  over  $10  to  be  paid  one-half  on 

1st,  and  one-half  on —  1st  each  year. 

[Cards  like  the  above  are  for  sale  by  the  International  Committee,  as 
No.  625.] 

189 

I  hereby  agree  to  pay  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion of each  year  (until  this  subscription  is  revoked  in 

writing  addressed  to  said  treasurer),  the  sum  set  opposite  my  name;  to  aid  in 
meeting  the  current  expenses  of  the  Association,  including  the  employment  of  a 
general  secretary  to  have  ovei'sight  of  the  entire  work  of  the  Association,  the 
maintenance  of  a  reading  room,  and  the  general  enlargement  of  the  work. 

Fifteen  hundred  dollars  or  more  being  needed,  this  subscription  is  not  binding 
until  at  least  twelve  hundred  dollars  are  subscribed. 

Signed $ 

[Similar  cards,  containing  also  testimonials  to  the  value  of  Association 
ivork,  can  be  purchased  of  the  Era  Publishing  Co.,  Chicago.] 


SAMPLE     No.    14.         (3 X 9  in.  including  stub.) 
See  Chap.   18,   B,    11. 

TREASURY   WARRANT. 


No-- -     $ i     No. -    $. 


Date i  the  treasurer  of  the 

i  YOUNG   MEN'S   CHRISTIAN   ASSOCIATION. 


To 


i     Pay  to  the  order  of 

For i     ~ - — Dollars 

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I  By  order  of  Finance  Committee. 

Chairman. 

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SAMPLE    No.    19.       (5x8  in.) 
See  Chap,   18,  C.  3. 


Deposited  with  Treasurer. 
By  G.  F.  S. 
Date,  Jan.  14,  1891. 

Deposited  with  Treasurer. 
By  G.  F.  Strong. 
Date,  Jan.  14,  1891. 

Previous  collections,        .        .    2,038  00 

Previous  collections  ....    2,038  00 

Full  memberships,           .         .          5  00 
Limited          "                   .         .          2  00 
Boys'  Dept    "                   .         .          1  00 
Running  subscriptions,  .         .        10  00 
Subs,  for  this  year,  . 

Full  memberships, 
Limited 
Boy's  Dept.   " 
Running  subscriptions, 
Subs,  for  this  year,     . 

5  00 
200 
1  00 
10  00 

■ 

Miscellaneous,  .        .        .         .      145  50 

Reed.  Jan.  14,  1891,                          163  50 
Jos.  R.  Baldwin,  Treasurer. 

Miscellaneous,  . 

145  50 
163  50 

[Books  containing  one  hundred  of  these  deposit  tickets  are  for  sale  by  the 
International  Committee,  as  No.  G28.] 


SAMPLE    No.    20.       (5^x8^  in.) 
See  Chap.   18,  C,  4. 


iSmaU  Form.^  ._ 

REPORT  OF  TREASURER  FOR  MONTH  ENDIN'G  December  31,  1890. 

Balance  on  hand  Nov.  30,  1890,    .  .  ,  .  .    650  65 

Received  during  December: 

Membership  fees— Full,        .  .  .  .    60  00 

Limited,  .  .  .    45  00 

Boys,     .  .  .  .    20  00 

Subscriptions—       Running,  .  .  ,  130  00 

This  year  only,  .  .  206  00 


Miscellaneous, 


57  00    518  00     1, 


66 


Expended  during  December: 

Salaries, 

.  145  00 

Rent,       .... 

.    41  66 

Furniture  and  repairs, 

.     12  00 

Fuel  and  light. 

.     45  50 

Religious  Department, 

.     39  40 

Educational        "       , 

.     32  00 

Physical              "       . 

.     19  34 

Social                   "       . 

.     35  25 

Miscellaneous, 

.     19  50 

389  65 

Balance  on  hand,     . 

779  00 

[The  above  is  for  sale  by  the  International  Committee,  as  No.  627.] 


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SAMPLE  No.  22.     (8>.-xniD.) 

See  Chap,  20,  A,  4. 


MEMBERSHIP  COMMITTEE. 

REPORT   FOR        ....      ENDING        .      .      . 


189 


New  members  received— active,   . 

"  "  "  associate, 

Old  members  paid  fees— active.   . 

"    •       •'  "        "       associate, 


Losses : 
Active, . 
Associate, 

Membership  at  date 

Active, 

Associate, 


Died.   I  Removed,   i    Discontinued. 


Limited. 


Full. 


Total 


This 
Year. 


Last 
Year. 


The  following  are  recommended  for  active  membership,  each  application! 
having  been  properly  vouched. 

Name.  Church  of  which  he  is  a  member. 


Chairman. 


SAMPLE    No.    23.        (8'^  X  11  in.) 
See  Chap.  20,  A,  4. 


RELIGIOUS  DEPARTMENT, 


REPORT  FOR 

•    • 

•    • 

ENDING 

....    189  . 

Meetings,  etc. 

No. 

Av. 

Att 

Total. 

Leaders  and  Speakers. 

Bible  class, 

Beginners'  training  class. 
Advanced, 

Young  men's  meeting,    . 
Men's  gospel  meeting,     . 

Evening  prayers. 
Invitations  distributed  for 
Bible  class, 
"       meetings, 
Committee  meetings,      . 

Results. 

Remained  for  inquiry,     . 

Confessed  Christ,      . 

Suggested  as  candidates 
for  church  membership. 

United  with  churches,     . 

Received  as  active  mem- 
bers of  Association,    . 

: 
i 

SAMPLE  No.  24.     (-81^x11  in.) 

See  Chap.  20,  A,  4. 


EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT. 

REPORT  FOR       ....       EXDING        .      .      . 


Vols,  added  :   Reference,] 
By  purchase,         .        .     1 
Total  :    Reference, 
Used  in  library      .        .     I 


Lending, 
Cost,  . 
Lending, 
Drawn, 


By  donation 
Vols,  retired 


Now  out 


Average  daily  attenda  nee, 

New  periodicals.  . 

Cost 


READING  ROOM. 


No.  discontinued. 
Total  now  on  file, 


EVENING  CLASSES. 


Class. 


Instructor. 


Total, 


No.  Ses-     Average 
sions.    Attendance 


Tot: 


LECTURES  AND  TALKS. 


Date. 


Speaker. 


Topic. 


Attendance. 


Total. 


LITERARY  SOCIETY. 


Date. 


Topics. 


Attendance.   Membership, 


Total, 


Chairman. 


SAMPLE  No.  2>     (sv^xiiin.) 

See  Chap.  20,  A,  4. 


I'HYSICAL  DEPARTMENT. 


REPOKT  FOR 


.      .      ENDING 
GYMNASIUM. 


189 


Average  No.  using  gymnasium  daily,  . 

'•    of  classes  daily,       .... 

Examinations,         ...... 

Matters  of  special  interest  connected  with  examinations. 


No.  of  sessions,  leaders'  class,    . 
Average  attendance. 

No.   of  volunteer  leaders  giving  instruction, 
New  apparatus  and  repairs,     ^  . 


ATHLETICS  AND  OUTINGS. 

Average  No.  using  athletic  field  daily, 
"of  classes  daily, 

No.  and  character  of  outings, 

Total  No.  participants,     . 

RELIGIOUS  WORK. 

No.  of  Bible  class  sessions. 

Average  attendance,         .... 


SAMPLE    No.     26.       (84x11  in.) 
See  Chap.   20,  A,  4. 

SOCIAL  DEPARTMENT. 


REPORT   FOR 


189   . 


Receptions,  Members'  Meetings, 

etc. 

Reception  Committee. 

Character. 

Att. 

No.  on  committee, 
"    appointed  for  evening  duty 
"    serving  during- month,     . 
"    evenings  supplied, 

Average  number  on  duty  per 
evening, 

No   strangers  welcomed,     . 

Remarks: 

Remarks: 

Da  J-  of  Month. 


Receptions  and 
M'ber's  meet'g:. 


Directed  to 
Board'g  bouses 


Sitiiations 

Filled. 


No.  of  Savinf?s 
Deposits. 


I  Visits 

I to  Sick. 


Otherwise 

Assisted. 


Visits  to 

Rooms. 


Committee 
Jleetings. 


Lettersoflutru 
duction,  etc. 


Day  of  Month. 

Day  of  Week. 

1  Bible  Class. 

2 
3 
3 

I 

b 

M 
H 

Training 

Class. 

i 

1  Young  Men's 
1            Meeting. 

1  Evening 

1             Prayers. 

Personally 
dealt  with. 

1  Confessed 

1               Christ. 

United 

with  Churches. 
!  Invitations 
1       Distributed. 

1 

1  Volumes 
1          Added. 

V. 

CD 
p 

ft ! 

H 
O 

'>: 

\>- 
t- 

o 

Volumes 
Used. 

1  New 

1  Periodicals 

1 

1 

Lectures. 

1  Practical 

1                  Talks. 

1  Using 

1      Gymnasium. 

a 

in 
O 

1 

1  Classes. 

Examinations. 

1 

1 

1 

Bible  Class. 

1 

> 

<: 

p 


SAMPLE   No.    28.      ^^^5'°' 


See  Chap.  20,  A,  s- 


REPORT    OF    AX    ASSOCIATION     EVENT 

FILE   IN   THE   OFFICE   PROMPTLY. 

Department 

Event, 

Date, 

Attendance, 

Memoranda : 

Signed 


Meeting, . 
Date 


SAMPLE     No.     29.        (3x5  in.) 
Se3  Chap.  20,  A,   5. 


REPORT    OF    A     RELIGIOUS     MEETING. 

FILE   IS  THE   OFFICE   PROMPTLY. 


Leader, 

Other  speakers. 
Topic,  etc., 


Attendance, Personally  conversed  with,. . . 

Confessed  Christ, , 

Invitations  given  :  Printed, , Verbal, 

Where  given, , 

Signed 

Add  reirarks  on  back. 


SAMPLE  No.  30.  (sj^xiiin.) 

See  Chap.  20,  A,  5. 


DAILY    RECORD, 
YOUNG    MEN'S    CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION. 


RELIGIOUS    DEPARTMENT. 


Eible  class, 
Training:  class, 


Preparatory  prayer  service, 
Young  men's  meeting, 


Morning  prayers,  (employees) 
Evening  prayers, 
Personally  dealt  with. 
Confessed  Christ, 
United  with  churches, 
Invitations  distributed 
Invitations  to  com.  travelers. 


EDUCATIONAL    DEPARTMENT. 


Volumes  added  to  library. 
Volumes  used  in  library. 
Volumes  drawn  from  library, 

New  periodicals. 

Class  in        ...        . 


Class  in 


Lecture, 
Practical  talk. 
Literary  society. 


Using  gymnasium. 
No.  of  classes, 
Examinations, 


PHYSICAL     DEPARTMENT. 


Sessions,  leaders'  class. 
Using  athletic  field. 
Participating  in  outing, 
Bible  class,     . 


Reception, 


SOCIAL     DEPARTMENT. 

I         1 1  Members'  meeting, 


INFORMATION    AND    RELIEF    DEPARTMENT. 


Directed  to  boarding  houses. 
Situations  filled, 
No.  of  savings  deposits, 
Visits  tP  sick. 


Otherwise  assisted. 


BOYS       DEPARTMENT. 


Bible  class. 
Training  class. 
Meeting, 
Personally  dealt  with 
Confessed  Christ, 
United  with  churches, 

Volumes  added, 
Volumes  used, 

Class  in. 


Practical  talk. 
Literary  society. 
Using  gymnasium. 
Gymnasium  class, 
Examinations, 


Social  hour, 
Visits  to  rooms. 


MI.SCELLANEOUS. 


Visits  to  rooms,  .        .        .        l 

No.  committee  meetings, 

Letters  of  transfer  or  introduction,  | 


Letters  received  by  sec'y, 
Lettere  written  by  sec'y. 
Calls  made  by  sec'y. 


[Pads  containing  fifty  of  these  blanks  are  for  sale  by  the  International  Com- 
mittee, as  No.  630.] 


•    < 


o 
< 


3 
^ 

> 

6 

f5 

1 

> 

6 

SOCIAL  DEPARTMENT. 

Receptions, 

Members'  meetings, 

INFORMATION  AND  RELIEF   DEPT. 

Directed  to  boarding  houses. 
Situations  filled,     .... 
No.  of  savings  deposits, 
Visits  to  sick,          .... 
Otherwise  assisted, 

boys'    DEPARTMENT. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 

Visits  to  rooms,      .... 

Committee  meetings,    . 

Letters  of  introduction,  etc.,  givt'i:. 

REMARKS. 

li 

__ 1 

=?  i                                                                            1 
^1 

^1 

1 

I3 
1 

." 
f 
<; 

:<5  1 

RELIGIOUS   DEPARTMENT. 

Bible  class,       .        .        . 
Training  class,        .... 
Young  men's  meeting, . 
Evening  prayers,  .... 
Personally  dealt  with,   . 
Confessed  Christ,   .... 
United  with  churches,  . 
Invitations  distributed, 

EDUCATIONAL    DEPARTMENT. 

Volumes  added,     .... 

Volumes  used 

New  periodicals,     .... 
Class  in,                   .... 

Lectures, 

Practical  talks 

PHYSICAL   DEPARTMENT. 

Using  gymnasium. 

Classes, 

Examinations,        .... 
Bible  Class, 

SAMPLE  No.   32. 

See  Chap.  20,  D,  2,  a. 
CIRCULAR  TO  MEMBERS. 


DEAR  SIR  : 

Will  you  please  reply  frankly  and  promptly,  on  this  shet^t  of  paper,  to  the  fol- 
lowing questions,  in  order  to  aid  us  in  preparing  material  for  the  annual  report. 
Your  name  will  not  be  used,  unless  express  pernnssion  is  given. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Gen.  Sec. 


What  advantage  have  you  derived  from  the  Association  during  the  past  year, 
either 

Physically  ? 

Mentally    ? 

Morally  ? 

Spiritually  ? 

What  advantage  in  any  other  year  of  its  history  ? 


Please  make  suggestions  looking  towards  a  more  efficient  work  the  coming 
year. 


Signed 


SAMPLE  No.    33. 

See  Chap.  20,  C,  i. 

INVITATION  TO  A  PARLOR  CONFERENCE. 


Mr.  and  Mrs request  the  pleasure  of  your  company  at  their 

residence Thursday  evening,  May  12th,  at  8  o'clock,  to  meet 

'^ and  others,  representing  the  International  Committee  of 

the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations. 

There  will  be  no  solicitation  of  money. 

1^1  -ase  reply. 


o 

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a. 

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SAMPLE  No.  37. 

See  Chai'.  22,  A,  6. 


HINTS  TO  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  YOUNG  MEN'S  MEETINGS. 

"  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they 
that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." — Dan.  xii :  3. 


TO   MEMBERS. 

1.— Every  new  member  is  requested,  as  soon  as  possible  after  his  appointment 
upon  the  committee,  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  chairman. 

2. — Every  new  member  should  report  to  the  chairman  of  the  sub-committee 
to  which  he  is  assigned,  the  first  time  such  sub-committee  is  on  duty  after  his 
appointment. 

3.— Every  member  should  provide  himself  with  a  list  of  topics,  study  the  les- 
son, and  carry  his  own  Bible  to  the  meetings, 

4.— After  one  month's  unexplained  absence,  or  continued  irregularity  on  the 
part  of  any  member,  his  name  shall,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  president,  be 
dropped  from  the  roll  of  the  committee. 

TO  MEMBERS  OF  SUB-COMMITTEES. 

1. — The  sub-committee  is  responsible  for  the  tone  and  vigor  of  the  meeting 
luider  its  charge,  as  well  as  for  keeping  the  meeting  close  to  the  topic.  Each 
member  is  expected  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  insure  these  ends. 

2. — Every  member  of  each  sub-committee  should  attend  the  preparatory  con- 
ference at  7.40  p.  M.,  and  be  ready  to  lead  it  if  necessary. 

3.— Every  member  of  the  sub-committee  should  be  prepared  to  lead  the 
meeting,  if  the  appointed  leader  fails  to  be  present. 

4.— 3Iembers  are  to  act  as  ushers  in  such  parts  of  the  room  as  may  be  assigned 
to  them  by  the  chairman  of  their  sub-committee. 

5.— Members  are  requested  to  notify  tlie  chairman  of  their  sub-committee 
when  they  cannot  be  present  at  a  meeting. 

6.— It  is  the  duty  of  each  sub-chairman  to  see  that  the  room  is  in  nroDe^  '^0?- 
clition  as  to  light,  ventilation,  an-angement  of  chairs,  ?^'-..  for  :,he  meeting  under 
his  charge. 

7.  At  the  close  of  each  meeting  the  sub-chairman,  or  member  appointed  by 
him,  is  to  record  the  name  of  the  leader,  the  number  present,  the  number  of 
inquirers,  and  number  of  members  of  committee  on  duty,  together  with  such 
remarks  or  explanations  as  circumstances  may  require. 

INQUIRERS. 

].— Inquirers  are  the  care  of  the  sub-committee.  Members  are  to  deal  w'th 
them.  Earnest  prayer,  dependence  on  the  Holy  Spirit,  practical  knowledge  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  tact  are  needed  for  this  service. 

2.— The  members  of  the  sub-committee  should  greet  the  strangers  who  attend 
the  meeting,  and  ascertain  whether  they  are  Christian  men  ;  and,  if  they  are 
not,  endeavor  by  kindly  conversation  to  impress  upon  them  the  wisdom  and  im- 
portance of  yielding  themselves  to  the  Savior  without  delay. 

3.— All  inquirers  should  be  urged  to  attend  the  converts'  Bible  class. 

4.— Each  member  dealing  with  an  inquirer  is  expected  to  take  his  name, 
address,  etc.,  to  see  or  write  him  within  a  week  after  the  interview,  and  report 
the  result  to  the  general  secretary  of  the  Association.  "The  Christian  Workers' 
Record  "  will  be  used  for  this  purpose. 


SAMPLE  No.  38. 

See  Chap.  24,  C,   10. 

EDUCATIONAL  CLASS  RULES. 

1. — Any  holdei' of  a  five  dollar  membership  ticket  shall  be  entitled  to  enter 
any  of  the  classes  for  which  he  is  qualified. 

2. — Application  for  admission  must  be  made  to  the  teacher  of  the  class,  and 
the  membership  ticket  shown. 

3.— The  text  books  to  be  used  will  be  fixed  by  the  educational  department  com- 
mittee, upon  consultation  with  the  respective  teachers. 

4.— Text  books  and  blank  books  can  be  obtained  at  the  office,  at  special  prices 
to  students  only. 

5.— The  signing  of  an  application  blank  constitutes  an  agreement  to  attend 
punctually  each  session  of  the  class,  or  to  notify  the  teacher  in  case  of  neces- 
sary absence,  and  to  continue  until  the  close  of  the  term,  or  to  notify  the 
teacher  of  the  cause  of  leaving,  if  prevented  from  so  doing. 

G. — Unexplained  absence  from  three  consecutive  lessons  will  forfeit  a  mem- 
ber's place  in  any  class  for  the  term. 

7.— No  student  will  be  allowed  to  leave  any  class  while  in  session,  without  the 
teacher's  permission. 

8. — No  classes  will  meet  on  legal  holidays. 

9.— At  the  end  of  the  second  term,  each  student  whose  attendance  has  been 
over  80  per  cent.,  and  who  has  made  progress  in  his  studies,  shall  receive  a  testi- 
monial of  merit,  on  the  certificate  of  the  teacher  to  these  facts. 

10.— An  examination  shall  be  held  in  each  class  at  the  end  of  the  second  term, 
to  which  tne  stuae^its  of  t><^  class  whose  attendance  has  been  regular  shall  be  ad- 
mitted. The  examination,  which  shall  be  ox'al  or  written  at  the  option  of  the 
teacher,  shall  be  lield  in  the  presence  of  one  or  more  members  of  the  board  of 
directors. 

11. — The  marking  on  such  examination  shall  be  from  1  to  100.  Everj'  student 
who  has  completed  the  course  and  has  passed  over  80  per  cent,  on  such  exami- 
nation, shall  receive  a  certificate,  setting  forth  the  facts  on  which  it  is  given. 

12.— In  the  last  week  of  April  in  each  year,  there  shall  be  a  public  exhibition 
of  the  work  of  the  classes  during  the  year,  in  which  students  who  have  passed 
the  examinations  most  creditably  shall  take  part. 

13.— The  general  secretary,  under  the  direction  of  the  educational  department 
committee,  has  general  supervision  of  the  classes. 


(A  list  and  calendar  of  classes,  prices  of  text  books,  and  any  other  details  may 
IjH  appended.) 


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SAMPLE  No.    40.     (rxioj^in.) 

See  Chap    25,  C,  2. 


[Small  Form. 


ASSOCIATION  GYMNASIUM  RECORDS.     No. 


EXAMINATION. 

HISTORY  : 

[189 

189 

1 

180 

1 

Jhllc.      JMO. 

DA.' 

HR 

MO. 

DA.! 

HR. 

MO.  Ida 

HR. 

MO.  IDA 

.iHR. 

i 
1 

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Xume. 

TicLet          i 

Date  of  Birth, 

Weight,       .     . 

Height,       .    . 

3Iarried. 

Girths : 

Neck,      .    .     . 

Chest  conti-ac*t\l 

Exercise  : 

Chest  expanded 

. 

. 

Waist,     .    .    . 

R.  Forearm.   . 

Special  Histori/: 

R.  Up  arm  down 

. 

Accidents,  etc. 

R.  Up-arm  up. 

. 

L.  Forearm.    . 

L.  Up-arm  down 

. 

L.  Up  arm  up 
R.  Thigh,    .     . 

Occupation  : 

R.  Calf,  .     .     . 

Health  :  (Past. ) 

L.  Thigh.    .    . 

L.  Calf,  .     .     . 

Muscles : 

Consistency. 

Arm 

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Dip,    .... 
Piir-np.  .    .    . 

Remarks 


Prescriiilioii 


[The  above  is  published  by  the  International  Committee,  and  is  sold  as  No.  24. 
The  use  of  the  blank  is  explained  in  the  "  3Ianual  for  Pliysical  Jleasurements," 
Int.  pph.,  No.  23.] 


SAMPLE  No.  41. 

See  Chap.  26,  A,  i. 


RECEPTION  COMMITTEE  RULES  AND  SUGGESTIONS. 
"Be  not  forgetful  to  entertain  sti-angers  ;  for  thereby  some  hav©  ©atertained 
angels  unawares." 

THE  COMMITTEE. 

The  comiuittee  is  appointed  to  welcome  strangers  and  encourage  cordiality 
among  members. 

THE    CHAIRMAN. 

1. — The  chairman  of  the  committee  shall  assign  members  to  the  eyening  on 
which  they  are  to  serve. 

2.— He  shall  appoint  a  sub-chairman  for  each  evening  of  the  week,  and  all 
special  committees. 

3.— At  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  Association,  he  shall  present  in  writing  a 
complete  report  of  the  work  during  the  preceding  month,  with  incidents  illustrat- 
ing it. 

4.— He  shall  report  from  time  to  time  to  the  president  the  names  of  com- 
mitteemen, who,  without  excuse,  have  been  absent  for  three  consecutive  even- 
ings to  which  they  were  assigned. 

THE  SECRETARY. 

1.— The  secretary  shall  keep  a  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  meetings  of  the 
committee. 

2.— He  shall  keep  posted  on  the  committee  bulletin  a  list  of  the  offlcers  of  the 
committee  and  of  the  members  of  the  sub-committees,  the  latter  being  arranged 
in  alphabetical  order  under  the  names  of  the  sub-chairmen. 

3.  —He  shall  send  to  the  office  of  the  Association,  before  the  fifth  day  of  each 
month,  the  statistics  of  the  committee  for  the  preceding  month. 

4.— He  shall  notify  members  of  regular  and  special  meetings,  and  perform  such 
other  duties  as  pertain  to  his  office. 

THE   SUB-CHAIRMEN. 

1.— Each  sub-chairman  shall  be  responsible  to  the  chairman  for  his  committee. 

2.— He  shall  make  arrangements  for  family  prayers  in  season,  and  begin  them 
not  later  than  9.45,  and  in  their  conduct  avoid  foniiality  and  observe  brevity. 

3.— He  shall  keep  in  the  committee's  register  a  full  record  of  the  evening's 
work,  including  the  names  of  absentees. 

4.— He  shall  inform  the  chairman  of  the  committee  of  the  absence,  without 
excuse,  of  any  member  for  three  consecutive  evenings  to  which  he  is  assigned. 

5.— He  shall  present  a  written  report  at  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  receptioa 
committee. 

THE  MEMBERS. 

1.— Seek  God's  blessing  before  entering  on  your  evening  duties. 

2.— Come  cheerfully  and  promptly  at  7.30  o'clock,  bearing  in  mind  that  many 
opportunities  for  doing  good  may  be  lost  by  not  being  on  hand  early. 

3. — Wear  the  badge  of  the  Reception  Committee  while  on  duty. 

4.— Greet  all  heartily,  without  discrimination,  remembering  that  we  are 
brothers  in  Christ's  service. 

5.— If  a  member  and  a  stranger  enter  the  reception  room  at  the  same  time, 
extend  hospitality  to  the  stranger  fii-st. 

6.— Bear  in  mind  that  your  object  is  to  entertain  members  and  strangers,  and 
not  your  fellow  committeemen. 

7.— Visitors  will  obtain  their  impressions  of  the  Association  and  judge  of  it  by 
the  manner  in  which  you  receive  them.  Receive  them  naturally  and  heartily 
as  you  would  friends  calling  on  you  at  your  own  home. 


8.— Mauy  of  iho  members  of  tlie  Assouiatiou  eve  necessarily  stran;:jer.s  to  each 
other,  l^omote  their  acquaintance  with  one  another  by  every  means  in  your 
power.  If  the  Association  is  to  fulfill  its  social  mission,  the  rooms,  should  be 
made  to  them,  through  you,  the  most  home-like  and  attractive  place  in  the  city. 

0.— Interest  strangers  by  showing  them  through  the  building  ;  explain  the 
work  of  the  Association  and  the  advantages  offered  to  young  men.  and  invite 
them  to  the  religious  meetings. 

10.— Inform  yourself  thoroughly  regarding  all  the  work  of  the  Association  and 
its  branches.  Accurate  knowledge  of  the  religious  and  philanthr<»pic  work  iu 
llie  city  would  greatly  assist  you  in  your  work. 

11.— When  you  meet  a  visitor  who  does  not  attend  any  church  ivgularly,  as- 
certain the  denomination  he  is  most  iu  svaupathy  with,  and  offer  to  take  steps  to 
introduce  him  to  a  church  of  that  denomination  where  he  would  feel  at  home. 

12.— Should  the  visitor  be  a  member  of  a  church,  but  not  acquainted  with  his 
pastor  or  his  fellov/  church  members,  consult  the  secretary  of  the  Association, 
that  he  may  be  suitably  introduced. 

13.— Do  not  fail  to  impress  young  men  with  the  importance  of  having  a  church 
home,  and  of  regular  attendance  at  the  stated  services  on  week  days  as  well  as 
Sundays. 

14.— Seek  to  lead  your  conversation  v/ith  the  visitor  into  religious  channels, 
that  you  may  be  able  naturally  to  present  Christ  as  a  personal  savior  and  friend. 

15.— Before  leaving  the  rooms  record  in  the  register  j^our  name  and  the  time 
of  your  arrival  and  departure,  together  with  any  interesting  incidents  that  may 
have  occurred. 

16.— If  you  are  compelled  to  be  absent  on  j'our  evening,  try  to  secure  a  sub- 
stitute by  exchanging  with  a  member  assigned  to  some  other  evening.  If  unable 
to  do  this,  promptly  notify  your  sub-chairman. 


The  chairman  and  members  of  the  committee  are  appointed  b}-  the  president 
of  the  Association.    Resignations  from  the  committee  should  be  sent  to  hi  in. 

The  regular  meeting  of  the  reception  committee  is  held  on 


SAMPLE    No.  42.      (5ize  of  visiting  card.) 

StE    CilAP.   2.6,   A  4. 

RHCEPTION  COMMITTEEMAN'S  CARD. 


(Xaine) 

At  the  building  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian    Association 
{Address) 


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SAMPLE  No.   44. 

See  Chap.  26,  A,  5. 

MEMORANDUM  ABOUT  RESIDENT  YOUNG  MEN. 


Name,. Age, 

Occupation, 

Place  of  business 

Boards, Home, 

Attends Church.    Communicant, 

Time  i-esided  in  city,  

Remarks, 


.  189      .       Signed, 


SAMPLE  No.  45. 

See  Chap.  26,  B.  2. 


CHESS  AND  CHECKER  CLUB  RULES. 

1.— This  organization  shall  be  known  as  the  Chess  and  Checker  Club  ©f  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of 

2.— Its  object  shall  be  to  give  members  of  the  Association  who  are  interested  in 
the  games  of  chess  and  checkers  an  opportunity  to  play  together. 

3. — Members  of  the  Association  may  join  the  club  by  signing  its  rules  and  pay- 
ing an  initiation  fee  of  fifty  cents. 

4. — The  officers  of  the  club  shall  be  a  chairman,  appointed  by  the  president  of 
the  Association  from  among  the  members  of  the  club,  and  a  secretary  and  a 
treasurer,  elected  at  the  February  meeting  of  each  year. 

5. — The  chairman  shall  preside  at  all  business  meetings  of  the  club  ;  the  secre- 
tary shall  keep  a  record  of  its  proceedings  and  conduct  its  correspondence  ;  the 
treasurer  shall  have  charge  of  all  moneys  belonging  to  the  club,  shall  disburse 
them  as  it  directs,  and  shall  submit  a  report  at  each  business  meeting. 

6.  —Business  meetings  of  the  club  shall  be  held  at  8  p.m.  on  the  first  Tuesday  of 

the  months  of Special  meetings  may  be  called  by  the 

chairman  at  the  written  request  of  five  members.  A  quorum  for  the  trans- 
action of  business  shall  consist  of  nine  members. 

7. — Meetings  for  play  shall  be  held  once  a  week,  and  shall  close  at  10  p.m. 

8.— The  name  of  any  member  absenting  himself  from  the  meetings  of  the  club 
for  two  months  shall  be  dropped  from  the  roll. 

9.— Any  member  may,  if  others  do  not  object,  introduce  friends  who  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Association  to  the  privileges  of  the  club. 

10.— No  tournaments  shall  be  held  with  clubs  not  connected  with  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations. 

11.— Staunton's  "Handbook'*  shall  be  the  chess  authority  used  by  the  club, 
and  the  rules  for  ••  Enghsh  Draughts,"  found  in  Bohn's  "  Handbook  of  Games," 
shall  guide  in  the  play  of  checkers.  Cushing's  "  Manual "  shall  be  followed  in 
parliamentary  practice. 

12.— These  rules  may  be  amended  by  a  two-tliirds  vote  of  the  members  present 
at  any  regular  business  meeting,  provided  the  proposed  amendment  shall  have 
been  submitted  in  writing  at  the  business  meeting  immediately  preceding. 
Amendments  shall  take  effect  when  they  shall  have  been  approved  by  the  com- 
mittee on  classes  of  the  board  of  directors. 


SAMPLE    No.    46.       (5^x8}^m.) 
See  Chap.  27,  A,  9. 


APPLICATION  FOR  REGISTRATION  OF  BOARDING  HOUSE. 

No 189 

Name,  

Residence,  street  and  number 

Between  what  streets, 

Nationality, 

Religious  denomination,. 

Member  of  church, 

Located  at, 

Floor Rooms  vacant ;  Large, Small, 

Description  of  rooms, 


Bath, Gas, Heat,. 

Hot  and  cold  water, 

Terms,  with  board  .(for  one)  (for  two) . 

Terms,  without  board,  (for  one) (for  two) . 

References, 


Full  names  of  any  members  of  the  Association  who  room  or  board  in  the  house, 


Remarks, 


TAKE  SPECIAL  NOTICE. 

1.  Protect  yourself  by  carefully  examining  the  references  of  any  one  who  says 
lie  has  found  your  address  on  our  register,  unless  he  brings  an  autograph  letter 
from  one  of  our  secretaries. 

2.  Send  word  immediately  when  any  room  regarding  which  you  have  given  us 
information  is  rented.  Your  name  is  registered  on  condition  that  you  will  do 
this,  and  must  be  erased  at  once  and  not  entered  again,  if  we  find  that  you  have 
not  observed  the  condition. 


(The  back  of  this  blank  may  be  arranged  for  the  pi'ivate  memoranda  of  the 
committee.) 


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SAMPLH    No.    48.        mx4y^in.! 
See  Chap.  27,  B,  4. 

INFORMATION  AND  SUGGESTIONS  FOR  APPLICANTS  FOR 
EMPLOYMENT. 


[LYont.] 

EMPLOYMENT  BUREAU,   YuUNG  MP^N'S  CHRISTIAN 

ASSOCIATION. 

Open  week  days,  8  to  11.30  a.  m.,  for  filing  applications  for  positions,  such  as 
Book-keepers,  Clerks,  Collectors, 

Copyists,  Light  Porters,  Messengers, 

Salesmen,  Stenographers,  Teachers, 
Watchmen,  Attendants,  Nurses, 

Tradesmen,  Machinists,  Engineers,  etc. 
Day  laborers,  requiring  no  skill  or  references,  are  referred  to  other  bureaus. 
All  questions  on  the  application  blank  must  be  answered  in  full,  or  it  will 
receive  no  attention. 

After  an  application  is  filed,  the  applicant  is  informed  by  mail  if  a  position 
opens  which  it  seems  likely  that  he  can  fill. 

Applications  receive  impartial  attention.    In  the  meantime  applicants  are 
referred  to  the  following  suggestions  :— (over) 


[Back.] 

HELP    YOrRSEI,]'.  AND    OTHERS   V^'IM,   HELP    YOU. 


If  you  want  work,  spend  ten  full  hours  every  day  looking  for  it.  No  one  wants 
to  employ  a  man  who  is  too  indifferent  about  getting  work  to  l>e  persistent  in 
seeking  it. 

Be  courageous;  expect  to  get  work;  look  cheerful ;  don't  be  troubled  if  forty- 
nine  refuse  you,  the  fiftieth  may  employ  you. 

Ahvays  ask  to  see  the  head  man ;  ask  as  though  you  wanted  to  see  him  on 
important  business,  for  so  it  is. 

Keep  clean  and  neat;  no  one  will  care  to  employ  you  if  you  look  untidy. 

Do  not  associate  entirely  with  men  who  are  destitute,  as  it  will  drag  you  lower; 
but  with  men  who  are  emi^loyed. 

Choose  the  society  of  Christians;  attend  church  regularly  Sundays;  go  to  the 
evening  church  prayer  meetings;  come  to  our  meetings. 

Read  your  Bible  daily ;  it  is  God's  word  to  you;  ask  him  to  forgive  your  sins 
and  lead  you. 

For  ho  hath  said:  "  All  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God." 
'•  Seek  not  ye  what  ye  shall  eat  or  v/hat  ye  shall  drink.  But  rather  seek  ye  the 
kingdom  of  God;  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you."— Rom.viii,  28; 
Luk.^  xii,  eO.  31. 


SAMPLE  No.  49.     (Hx5iii.) 

See  Chai».  27,  B,  4. 

ADVERTISEMENT  OF  EMPLOYMENT  BUREAU,  FOR  EMPLOYERS. 


Please  keep  this  on  your  desk. 

YOUNG  men's  christian  ASSOCIATION. 


Cor and Streets. 

This  Association,  through  its  Employment  Bureau,  is  prepared  to  furnish,  oa 
short  notice,  Confidential  Clerks,  Book-keepers,  Correspondents,  Salesmen,  and 
Male  Help  of  all  kinds. 

The  Bureau  is  not  by  any  means  a  charitable  or  reform  institution,  where 
broken-down  and  dissipated  men  are  helped  into  positions  ;  but  it  is  conducted 
on  business  principles,  refercjnces  being  secured  regarding  each  appl  xint  and 
offered  to  the  inspection  of  employers. 


SAMPLE    No.    50.     (8^x11  in.) 


See  Chap.  27,  B,  /. 


CONFIDENTIAL  APPLICATION,  BOOK NO 

TO   THE 
EMPLOYMENT  BUREAU   OP  THK   YOUNG  MEN'S   CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION. 


Name  in  full? 

Residence,  street  and  number  ? 

Date  of  birth? Place  of  birth  ? 

How  long  a  resident  of  this  city  ? 

Residence  of  parents,  if  living? 

Married  or  single  ? If  married,  how  many  children  ? — 

"VNTiat  education  ? 

Religious  denomination  ? . 

If  a  communicant  member,  of  what  church  ? TMiere  ? . 

Do  you  use  liquor  as  a  beverage  ? 

What  regular  trade,  if  any  ? 

How  long  out  of  work  ? 

Last  salary,  per  month  ? 

Why  did  you  leave  your  last  situation  ? , 

Least  amount  now  willing  to  accept  ? 

Employment  desired  ? 

Two  references  as  to  character,  names  and  addresses, 


All  former  employers,  in  their  order. 


Names  of 
employers. 


Their 
addresses. 


Their 
business. 


1     Your 
duty. 

Began       j 
work.        i 

Mo. 

Year. 

i 
1 

' 

Left. 


Mo.  I  Year. 


SAMPLE  No.  51.     (8>ixiiin.) 

See  Chap.  27,  B,  4. 


To 


CONFIDENTIAL  REFERENCE,  BOOK NO 

From  the 

EMPLOYMENT   BUREAU 

OP  THE 

TOUNG  men's  christian   ASSOCIATION, 

•f 


Dear  Sir, 

.    has  applied  to  this 

Bureau  for  assistance  in  his  efforts  to  find  employment.  Please  have  the  kind- 
ness to  answer  the  questions  eisked  below,  and  give  such  other  information  as 
you  can  in  relation  to  him.  Desiring  to  act  intelligently  in  his  case,  we  ask 
your  help.  Yours  very  truly, 

Chairman  Employment  Committee. 


How    long    have   you 
knoAvn  him  ? 

Is  he  honest  and  truth- 
ful? 

Is  he   reliable   and  in 
every  way  worthy  of 
trust  ? 

Is  he  strictly  temper- 
ate ? 

Hag  he  good  business 
qualifications  ? 

Please  state  strong  and 
weak    points   m.   his 
character  ? 

How    long  was   he   in 
your     employ,     and 
why  did  he  leave  it  ? 

General  remarks ; 


SAMPLE    No.    52.       (3^x61^  in.) 
See  Chap.  27,  B,  4. 


EMPLOYER'S  APPLICATION  BLANK. 

YOtJNG  men's  christian  ASSOCIATION,  FREE  EMPLOYMENT  BUREAU. 

Firm  desiring  help 

City  address  of  firm 

Kind  of  help  wanted 

When  wanted  

Permanent  or  temporary  work ^ 

Salary  offered,  $ 

Person  sent •..'*.!,'."..*.  '.!!'....'..*.]*  i  *.*.'.*. '. 

Remarks .*..   "*' 


SAMPLE    No.    53.       (3>ax5J^in.) 
See  Chap.  27,  B,  4. 


APPLICANT'S  INTRODUCTION  CARD. 

YOXTNG  men's  CHRISTIAN   ASSOCIATION,  FREE   EMPLOYMENT   BUREAU. 


This  introduces  Mr .whom  we  send  in  answer  to 

your  application  for  a Please  satisfy  yourself  as  to  his 

abiUty  to  do  your  work.  References  regarding  him  are  open  to  your  inspection 
at  our  office.  Should  other  vacancies  occur  in  your  business,  we  hope  to  have 
an  opportunity  of  filling  them,  and,  at  the  same  time,  of  assisting  some  worthy 
young  men.  Respectfully  yours, 


Chairman  Employment  Committee. 
Per 


SAMPLE  No.  54.     (8^x11  in.) 

Sec  Chap.  27,  B,  4. 

LETTER  TO  AN  EMPLOYER  TO  WHOM  AN  APPLICANT  WAS 
REFERRED. 


Dear  Sir : 

We  referred  to  you  Mr on 189  ,  in 

response  to  your  application  for  Did  he  give  satisfaction,  and 

is  he  still  in  your  employ  ?  We  desire  to  conduct  our  Employment  Bureau  in  the 
best  interest  of  its  patrons,  and  will  appreciate  your  assistance  if  you  will  kindly 
answer  this  letter  on  this  sheet  of  paper  and  add  any  suggestions  that  may  occur 
to  you. 

Respectfully  yours, 


Chairman  Employment  Committee. 
Per 


{Answer.} 


SAMPLE  No.   55. 

See  Chap.  27,  C,  i. 

SAVINGS  BUREAU  RULES. 
(Printed  on  the  first  page  of  the  book  showing  deposits  with  the  Association.) 


Any  amount  not  less  than  five  cents  will  be  received  at  the  rooms  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  on from  . .  a.  m.  to  .  •  p.  m. 

As  the  money  so  received  accumulates  to  amounts  of  one  dollar,  or  multiples 

of  one  dollar,  it  will  be  deposited  in  the Savings  .Bank,  in  the 

name  of  the  individual  depositor. 

When  the  first  deposit  is  made,  the  individual  depositor  must  go  to  the  bank 
and  subscribe  his  name  and  residence  upon  the  record  books  of  the  bank.  All 
subsequent  deposits  may  be  made  through  the  Association. 

The  undeposited  amount  standing  to  the  credit  of  any  member,  held  by  the 
Association,  may  be  withdrawn  by  presenting  this  book,  but  amounts  depos- 
ited in  the  savings  bank  can  be  withdrawn  from  it  only  by  the  individual  depositor, 
on  presentation  of  his  bank-book. 

The  books  of  deposit  with  the  bank  will  be  kept  at  the  rooms  of  the  Associa- 
tion, and  may  be  obtained  by  applying  for  them  during  the  hours  appointed 
for  receiving  money. 


SAMPLE  No.   56. 

See  Chap.  27,  D. 

LETTER  TO  PHYSICIAN  AND  ENCLOSED  POSTAL  CARD. 


Dear  Doctor: 

In  your  professional  work  you  may  find  young  men,  who  need   sympathy 
and  help  in  sickness,  such  as  we  can  render. 

Will  you  not  keep  the  enclosed  postal  cards  within  your  reach,  and  notify  us 
when  such  cases  present  themselves,  that  we  may  do  what  we  can  for  them  ? 
Respectfully  yoiu-s, 


Chairman  Committee  on  Visitation  of  the  Sick. 


Mr.  Chairman : 

At  No street,  there  is  a  young  man  sick,  whose 

name  is 

Would  suggest  to  you  No 

No.  1. — Make  a  friendly  call. 

No.  2. — Provide  night  watchers. 

No.  3. — Provide  nourishment. 

No,  4.— Provide  spiritual  help. 

,  Physiciarx. 


SAMPLE  No.   57.     {.-)>2'x8>iin.) 

See  Chap.  29,  C. 

COMMERCIAL  TRAVELERS'  ROAD  REPORT. 


189 

Met  Mr 

At  or  on 

Travels  for 

Located  at, 

Resides  at 

What  line 

Territory, 

Christian, 

Church, , 

Conversed  about, , 

Did  he  manifest  any  interest  in  Association  work  ?  , 

Has  he  ever  visited  any  of  the  Associations  ? 

If  a  member  of  any  Association,  does  he  carry  a  C.  T.  ticket  ? 

Any  further  particulars  of  the  interview  ? , 


Will  you  be  able  to  follow  up  the  acquaintance  ? 

Advised  general  secretary  at, of  this  interview- 
Reported  by, 

Address, 


SAMPLE  No.   58. 

See  Chap.  50,  21. 

RULES    OF  WOMEN'S   COMMITTEE. 


1.— Appointment.— The  Mvomen^s  committee  of  the Young  Men's 

Christian  Association  shall  consist  of  not  less  than  five,  nor  more  than  fifteen 
members,  not  more  than  two  of  whom  shall  be  members  of  the  same  church. 
They  shall  be  appointed  in  of  each  year  by  the  president  of  the  As- 
sociation, who  shall  also  name  the  chairman  of  the  committee.  They  shall  serve 
until  their  successors  are  appointed. 

2.—Dicties.—The  duties  of  the  committee  shall  be  to  assist  in  carrying  out  the 
objects  of  the  Association  in  ways  suggested  or  approved  by  the  board  of 
directors. 

S.— Officers.— At  the  first  meeting  of  the  committee  after  its  appointment  each 
year,  there  shall  be  chosen  from  its  members  by  ballot  a  vice-chairman,  secretary, 
and  treasurer,  whose  duties  shall  be  those  usually  performed  by  such  officers, 
and  who  shall  hold  office  until  their  successors  are  elected. 

The  treasurer  shall  have  temporary  charge  of  money  secured  by  the  com- 
mittee and  shall  pay  it  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Association,  who  shall  expend  it 
as  suggested  by  the  committee,  after  approval  by  the  board  of  directors. 

4.— Sub-committees.— The  chairman  of  the  committee  may  appoint  such  sub- 
committees as  may  become  necessary. 

5.— Co-operation.— The  committee  may  from  time  to  time  enlist  the  aid  of  as 
many  other  ladies  as  they  may  deem  necessary  for  the  work  to  be  done. 

Q.— Meetings.— The  committee  shall  meet  annually  on and  at  such 

other  times  as  they  may  be  called  together  by  the  chaii-man.  A  majority  of  the 
members  shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

7.— Order  of  business. — The  order  of  business  at  meetings  of  the  committee 
shall  be  as  follows  : 

Devotional  exercises. 
Reading  of  minutes  of  previous  meeting. 
Reports  of  the  chairman  and  treasurer. 
Reports  of  sub-committees. 
Unfinished  business. 
Sliscellaneous  business. 
Adjournment. 
8.— Reports.— The  chairman  shall  transmit  in  writing  a  report  of  the  work  of 
the  committee,  with  a  statement  of  the  condition  of  its  funds,  as  often  as  the 
board  of  directors  may  request,  and  shall  submit  immediately  after  the  first  day 

of in  each  year  a  full  report  of  the  work  of  the   committee  for  the 

preceding  year,  accompanied  by  the  treasurer's  statement  of  receipts  and  ex- 
penditures. 

d.—Conti'ol.— The  work  of  the  committee  shall  be  subject  to  the  supervision 
and  approval  of  the  board  of  directors,  and  no  funds  shall  be  soKcited  by  the 
committee  or  any  of  its  members  until  the  finance  committee  has  approved  such 
solicitation  and  the  names  of  the  persons  to  be  solicited. 

10. — Amendments.— These  rules  may  be  amended  by  a  two-thirds  votes  of  the 
members  of  the  committee  present  at  any  meeting,  but  no  amendment  shall  take 
effect  until  approved  by  the  board  of  directors. 


INDEX. 


Active  members,  see  membership.* 
Active  membership  test,  47-49,  72,  75, 

105. 
Advertising,  107,  140,  271. 
All-round  men,  271,  306,  319,  332. 
Amendments,  see  constitution. 
American    international     committee, 

see  international  committee. 
American  international  work  : 

Aid  and  supervision  of  conventions, 
433. 

Convention,  international,    436,  see 
conventions. 

Correspondence,  431, 

Day  and  week  of  prayer,  see  D. 

Endowment,  435. 

Extension  day,  436. 

Extension  fund.  435. 

Extension  printed  matter,  436. 

Field  and  work,  430.  431. 

Growth  and  organization,  428. 

Historical  items,  36,  428,  see  H. 

Local  finances  aided,  432. 

Publications,  431. 

Public  disasters,  aid  in,  433. 

Representation,  see  conventions. 

Supervision  and  extension, ^431. 

Systematic  giving,  435. 

Trained  employees  and  methods  of 
training,  432. 

Year  book,  432. 

American  tract  society,  267. 
Amusement  room   and  amusements, 

165,  344. 
Anniversary,  75,  221. 


Annual  budget,  198,  samples  Nos.  11, 

12. 
Annual  business  meeting,  75. 
Annual  election,  see  elections. 
Annual  report,  227. 
Annual  subscriptions,  199. 
Application  for  membership— samples. 

Nos.  3,  4. 
Assistant  secretary,  137. 
Associate  members,  see  membership. 
Association     address,    indiscriminate 

use  of  the,  355. 
Association  day,  222. 
Association  home,  the  : 

Album  of  buildings,  182. 

Advantages  of  owning,  158. 

Architect  and  builder,  173. 

Arrangement,  162. 

Basement,  168. 

Building  committee,  171. 

Building  fund,  preliminary,  183. 

Care  of,  176. 

Canvass  for  a  building,  184. 

Circular   preliminary     to     building 
canvass,  form  of,  188. 

Construction,  168. 

Entrance,  163. 

Equipment,  174. 

Foundation,  168. 

General  plan,  162. 

Hints  and  cautions  about  building, 
190. 

History  of   the  building  movement, 
61,  192. 

How  to  get  a  building— preparatory 
work,  181. 


*  See  the  sub-title  "  active  members ''  under  the  general  title  membership 
in  the  index.  References  from  a  sub-title  to  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  are  to  a 
similar  general  title— thus,  under  committees  "  executive,  see  E,"  refers  to  the 
general  index  title  executive  committee.  When  tlie  page  number  indicates  the 
begcinning  of  a  section  the  reference  is  often  to  the  whole  section.  All  samples 
may  be  found  in  the  appendix  by  consecutive  numbers. 


INDEX. 


Association  home — continued. 

Individual  gifts,  195. 

Large  vs.  smaller  buildings,  172. 

Light  and  heat,  170,  175. 

List  of  rooms,  163. 

Location,  161. 

Order  and  cleanliness,  179. 

Permanent  supervision,  176,  191. 

Pledge    for  building    subscription, 
form  of,  sample  No.  10. 

Repairs  and  safety,  170,  171,  177. 

fioof,  169. 

Securing  a  lot,  183. 

Stereopticon  building  views,  182. 

Walls,  floors,  and  ceiling,  168, 169, 174. 
Association  Monthly,  50. 
Association  rooms  in  small  towns,  167. 
Appendix. 
Ajtpropriation  book,  208,    sample  No. 

18, 
Athletics,  310,  326,    see    physical  de- 
partment. 
Attendance  at  association  rooms— how 

counted,  221. 


Badges,  341,  409,  410,  443. 

Bathing— methods  and  facilities,  167, 

169,  310,  314,  315, 
Bequests,  183,  210.  215. 
Bible,  study  and  use  of  the  : 

Bible  classes,  235,  334,  362,  368. 

Bible  readings,  253. 

Class,  the,  238. 

Evangelistic  bible  class,  250. 

Evangelistic  meeting,  252. 

Helps,  233. 

Historical  items,  60. 

Importance,  229,  235,  334. 

Individual  study,  229. 

Methods,  230. 

Objects  of  study.  230. 

Personal  work  with  the  unconverted, 
246. 

Preparing  the  lesson,  240. 

Questioning,  242. 

Teacher,  the,  238. 

Teaching  the  lesson,  241 . 

Time,  place,  etc.,  229,  237. 

Topics,  239,  244,  258. 

Training    class,   236,  243,  362,  368— 
graded  system,  244. 
Bills,  74,  205,  208. 
Boarding  house  bureau,  348,  samples 

Nos.  46,  47. 
Board    of     directors,    see    directors. 
Board  of  trustees,  see  trustees. 
Board  room,  106. 
Book  reception,  288. 
Books  and   reading,  152,279,  284,  291, 

363,  see  library  and  librarian. 
Bowling  alley,  165,  313. 


Boys'  department : 

Aims  and  benefits,  357. 

Age  limits.  361. 

Boys'  camp,  364. 

Department  committee,  104,  359,3(51« 

Educational  work,  363. 

Fees,  361. 

Games,  365. 

Historical  items,  356. 

Library,  286,  363. 

Membership,  361. 

Methods,  361. 

Organization,  359, 

Physical  work,  364. 

Religious  work,  362. 

Rooms,  166,361. 

Social  work,  364. 

Street  boys,  358. 

Supervision,  361. 

Training  class,  362. 
Branches : 

Action  of  international  convention, 
76. 

College  associations,  78. 

Control,  73,  104. 

Financial  support,  79. 

General  principles,  77. 

General  secretary's  relations,  78. 

Membership  privileges,  79. 

Metropolitan  system,  76. 

Necessity  of,  76. 

Organization,  plan  of,  77. 
Building  and  buildings,  see  association 

home. 
Building  movement,  history  of,  192. 
Buildings— how  to  get  one,  181. 

Building  subscription  pledge,  sample 

No.  10. 
Bulletin,  148,  225. 
Burial  of  strangers,  354. 
Business  management,   198,   samples 

Nos.  11-21. 
Business  meetings,  see  meetings. 
Business  office,  164. 
By-laws,  75,  80,  sample  No.  58. 


Canvass  for  funds,  109.  1S4.  201. 
Cash  book,  207,  samples  Nos.  15,  16. 
Central  international  committee,  444. 

447. 
Chess  and  checker  club  rules,  sample 

No.  45. 
Christian  worker's  record,  sample  No. 

34. 
Church  committee,  103. 
Church,  relations  of  association  to  the, 

16,  18,  61,  69,  70,  82,  92,  105,131. 255. 
Class  rooms,  165. 
Coat  i-oom,  166. 
Collections  and  disbursements,  Oo,  100, 

204,  20'J. 
College  work  : 
Buildings,  369. 


IITDEX. 


College  work— continued. 
Committees,  368. 
Constitution,  369. 
Foreign  work,  57,  370. 
General  facts,  366. 
Historical  items.  53,  56,  369. 
Organization,  78.  369. 
Plan  of  work.  367. 
PuWications,  366. 
Relations  to  city  associations,  367. 
Summer  schools,  370. 
Vacation  ticket,  367. 
Colored  work,  54,  382. 
Commercial    travelers,  work    among, 

55,  376,  sample  No.  57. 
Committee  of  management,  78. 
Committees : 
Appointed  by  president,  74,  88,  93. 
Boarding  house.  348. 
Boys'  department,  104,  359,  361. 
By-laws  and  rules,  93. 
Chairman.  93. 
Church  committee,  103. 
College  work.  368. 
Committee  memo,  book,  91. 
Committee  tea.  92. 
Composed  of   active  members,   92, 

118. 
Composition  and.construction,  74,  92, 

96,  118. 
Debt,  personal  responsibility  for,  95. 
Department  committees,  97,  104. 
Diagram  of  committee  plan,  99. 
Directors,  relations  to,  85,  95. 
Disbanded  or  reorganized  by  presi- 
dent, 74,  8?,  93. 
Educational  department,  103,  290. 
[T  Emploj'ment.  351. 
Executive,  see  E. 
Ex- officio  members,  74. 
Expenditures,  estimate  of,  95. 
Finance,  see  F. 
General  auditors,  97,  101. 
General  remarks,  74,  90. 
General  secretary  to  be  consulted  in 

their  appointment,  :88,  93. 
How  to  organize,  93. 
Importance,  90. 
Intervisitatiou,  94. 
Invitation.  257,  267,  380. 
Meetings.  94. 

Membership  coram.ittee,  101,  108. 
Members— individual  responsibility, 

94. 
Names  and  duties,  100. 
Permanent  secretary  and  his  duties, 

94. 
Physical  department.  103,  339. 
Plan  for  city  associations,  97. 
President  and  general  secretary  to 

be  notified  of  meetings,  93. 
Reception  committee,    103,  120.  163, 
292.  340,  380,  samples  Nos.  41-44. 
Relations  of  members  to  chairman, 

95. 
Relations  of  committees  to  general 

secretary.  95. 
Religious  department,  102. 
Reports,  74,  75.  85.  94.  223. 
Selecting  and  enlisting  workers,  01. 


Committees— continued. 

Social  department,  103,  340. 

Solicitation  of  funds,  95. 

Special  funds.  95.  208. 

Standing   committees  approved  hj 
the  board,  74. 

Statistics.  94. 

Sub-divisions.  93. 

Ways  and  means,  see  finance  com- 
mittee. 

Which  of  the  board  and  which  of 
the  association,  74. 
Committee  tea,  92,  346. 
Comparative  statistical  report,  221,  see 

sample  No.  31. 
Constitution  : 

Amendments,  75. 

College  association,  369. 

Forms  of,  71. 

General  considerations,  67,  71. 

German  association,  382. 

Railroad  association,  372. 

State  association,  394. 

Suggestive  outline— local,  72. 
Conventions  : 

Announcements,  415. 

Badges.  409.  410. 

Calling  the  convention,  406. 

Collections.  414. 

Committees— local.  408. 

Committees— of  the  convention,  4i2. 

Convention  Sunday,  417. 

Corresponding  members,  407,  411. 

Credentials  and  credential  commit- 
tee. 407.  413. 

Delegates.  116.  414,  421.  426,  427, 

Devotional  exercises,  405,  416. 

Entertainment,  408. 

Excui'sions.  etc..  411. 

Farewell  meeting,  418. 

Finance.  398.  408. 

Financial  session,  414. 

Local  committees.  408." 

Music,  406,  410.  417. 

Newspaper  reports,  407,  414. 

Officers,  411. 

Organization,  411. 

Parlor  confei'ences,  404,  415. 

Preliminary  circular,  406. 

Preparatory  v%'ork — local,  407. 

Preparatory  work— supervisory,  403. 

Press  committee,  413. 

Printed  matter,  408. 

Program,  404. 

Question  drawer,  405. 

Reception.  409. 

Reports  from  associations,  414. 

Representation,  391,  437. 

Resolutions,  413. 

Rules  of  business.  411. 

Sessions,   business  and  public,  411, 
413,  415. 

Social  receptions,  410. 

Speakers,  405,  406,  415. 

Special  conveniences  provided,  409. 

Standing  committees,  412. 

State  committee.   403,  407,  409,  -^11, 
412,  413,  414,  416. 

Time  and  place,  403,  410. 

Topics,  401,  415. 


INDEX. 


Conventions— continued. 

Transportation,  403,  407. 

Ushers,  410,  417. 

Welcome  exercises,  410. 
Contents,  7. 
Contributors,  72,  106. 
Correspondence  room,  164. 
Correspondence    with   pastors   about 

inquirers,  sample  No.  35. 
Corresponding  members,  392,  393,  407, 
411,  421,  423-425,  429. 

County  work  and  secretary,  426. 
Credentials,  see  conventions. 
Criminal  class— largely  young  men,  17. 
Current    finances,  198,  samples   ]Sos. 
11-21. 


Day  and  week  of  prayer  : 

Benefits  and  methods,  264,  424,  439. 

Circulars.  439. 

Collections.  440. 

Historical  items,  438. 
Deaf  mutes,  work  for,  384. 
Debt,  69,  74,  187,  21G. 
Decoration  day— improper  observance, 

347. 
Delegates,  see  conventions. 
Department  committee,  97-99,  102-104. 
Deposit  ticket,  208,  sample  No.  19. 
Destitute  young  men,  354. 
Dewey's  decimal  classification,  148. 
Directors,  board  of  : 

Choose  officers  of    the  association, 
73,85. 

Composition  and  construction,  73, 86. 

Duties  of  members,  83. 

Executive  committee,  relations  of," 
101. 

Election,  73,  75. 

General  secretary's  relations  to,  73, 
133. 

IJIeetings,  85. 

Order  of  business,  85. 

Paid   employees  secured  and  super- 
vised by,  73. 

Powers  and  duties,  73,  84. 

Qualifications  of  members,  81. 

Relations  to  general  secretary,  86. 

Representation  of  denominations,  73, 
87. 

Term  of  office,  73,  86. 

Vacancies,  73. 

Why  and  what,  81. 

Working  committees,   relations  to, 
85,  95. 
DiscipUne,  72,  275,  316. 
District  committee,  see  district  work. 
District  work  : 

Advertising,  421. 

Chairman  of  district  committee,  419, 
421. 


District  work — continued. 
Conferences — district.  420. 
Conferences— local,  422. 
Corresponding  members,  421,  428. 
County  work  and  secretary,  425. 
Delegates,  421. 
Delegation  meetings.  4S5. 
District  committee.  4J6. 
District  committee  meeting,  419. 
Districts,  arrangement  of,  419. 
Extending  the  work,  420. 
Finance,  421. 

Letters  of  introduction,  423. 
Order  of  business— district  commit- 
tee meeting,  420. 
Organization,  418. 
Reports,  420. 

State  committee,  419,  430,  423. 
State  secretary,  419,  421. 
Statistics,  420. 
Topics,  421. 
Visitation,  422. 
Week  of  prayer,  424. 


Educational  classes,  289,  samples  Nos. 

38,  39. 
Educational  department,  273,  samples 

Nos.  24,  38,  39. 
Educational  work— divisions  of,  108. 
Elberfeld  declarations,  47. 
Elections  : 
Annual,  75. 
Directors,  73,  75. 
International  committee,  428. 
Members,  72,  105,  sample  No.  1. 
Officers.  73,  85. 
Tmstees,  212. 
Employees,    see    general     secretaty, 

phj'sical  director,  etc. 
Employment    bureau,     351,    samples 

Nos.  48-54. 
Endowment,  191,  214,  287,  400,  435. 
Entertainments  —  cautions,    121,    200, 

345,  390. 
Evangelistic  bible  class,  250. 
Evangelistic  meetings,  the  use  of  the 

bible  in,  252. 
Evening  pi-ayers,  203. 
Evening  record,  reception  committee, 

sample  No.  43. 
Examinations— educational  class,  292. 
Examinations— physical,   304,   sample 

No.  40. 
Exchange  of  membership,  113. 
Executive  committee : 
Composed  of  department  chairmen, 

etc.,  98,  102. 
Duties  and  powers,  97,  102. 
In  sLiiall  towns,  74. 
Relations  to  board.  101. 
Relations  to  department  and  other 
committees,  102. 


INDEX. 


Executive  secretary,  74.  SO,  V2S. 

Exeter  hall  lectures,  269. 

Extension  work,  see  systematic  giving. 


Fees,  annual  membership,  72.  Ill,  199, 

204,  207. 
Festivals,  etc.,  as  sources  of  income, 

200. 
Files— filing  periodicals,  275,  276. 
Finance  committee  : 
Account  books,  207,  samples  Nos.  9, 

15,  17,  18. 
Annual    budget,    100.    198,    samples 

Nos.  11.  12. 
Bills,  74,  205,  208. 

Collections  and  disbursements,  rela- 
tion to   100,  205. 
Committee  special  funds,  95. 
Composed  of  members'of  the  board, 

98. 
Membership  committee,  relation  to, 

101. 
Paid  lectures,  relation  to,  101. 
Printing,  publication,  etc.,  relation 

to,  101. 
Real  estate,  relation  to  if  no  trustees, 

100. 
Report,  209. 
Samples,  Nos.  9-19. 
Sub-committees,  99,  101. 
Treasurer  an  ex-officio  member.  88. 
Treasury  warrants,  205,  208,  sample 

No.  14. 
Ways  and  means,  is  a  committee  on, 
'lOO,  201. 
Financial  book-keeping,  206,  samples 

Nos.  14-21. 
Financial  registers,  207,  samples  Nos. 

9,  17. 
Firemen,  etc.,  work  for,  386. 
Foreign  work  of  the  American  inter- 
national committee,  57,  370, 434. 


Games,  165,  344,  365,  sample  No.  45. 
General  auditors,  97,  101,  209. 
General  relief  work,  355. 
General  religious  work,  59,  255. 
General   secretaries'    association— or- 
ganization of,  55. 
General  secretary : 
Beginning  work,  144. 
Branches,  relations  to,  78. 
Business    community,  relations  to, 

127,  139. 
Business  qualifications,  127. 
Call,  accepting  a,  143. 
Churches  and  pastors,  relations  to, 

131. 
Committees,  relations  to,  134. 
Conventions,  etc.,  attendance  at,  86, 
157. 


General  secretary— continued. 

Conversation,  149. 

Correspondence,  145. 

Dress,  149. 

Economy,  150. 

Employees,  relations  to  other,  136. 

Expenditures,  plan  of,  150. 
f  Fellow  secretaries,  relations  to,  141. 

Financial  management,  relations  to, 
134. 

Growth  necessary,  152. 

Gymnasium,  relations  to,  302. 

Health,  150. 

Historical  items  and    statistics.  55, 
156. 

Housekeeping.  127. 

Leadership.  129. 

Manners,  126. 

Members,  relations  to,  138. 

Memorandum  book,  147. 

Mental  qualifications,  125. 

Office  and  work.  123. 

Officers  and  directors — relations,  73, 
86.  133. 

Outside  business  enterprises,  140. 

Permanency  of  office,  123. 

Physical  qualifications,|125. 

Politics,  140. 

Press,  relations  to  the,  140. 

Private  office,  164. 

Recreation,  vacation,  86,  151. 

Religious  work,  relations  to,  139. 

Report  to  board.  134. 

Secretarialism.  135. 

Social  qualifications.  125. 

Spiritual  life  and  quahfications,  130, 
152. 

State  and  international  work,  rela- 
tions to,  141. 

Statistics,  148. 

System,  147. 
General  work  and  the  local  associa- 
tion— mutual   relations,  141,  395, 
399,  425,  432. 
German  work,  .52,  381. 
Graves  printed  index,  3.'i2. 
Gymnasium,  see  physical  department. 


H 

Hall,  166. 

Hersey  membership    record   and    in- 
dex, 112,  sample  No.  9. 
Historical  items : 

Army  work  during  the  civil  war,  40. 

Bible  study,  60. 

Boys'  work,  356. 

Brainerd,  Cephas,  44,  59. 

Building  movement,  192. 

Church,   loyalty  of   the  associatiou 
to  the,  61. 

College  work,  53,  56,  369. 

Colored  work,  54. 

Confederation,  38,  41. 

Development    of    association    work 
after  the  civil  war,  41. 

Educational  classes,  289. 

Emi:)loved  officers.  55.  154. 


INDEX. 


Historical  items— continued. 
Employment  bureau.  351. 
Foreign  mission  work,  57,  370. 
General  secretaries  association,  55, 

156. 
German  work,  52,  381. 
Historical  library,  58. 
Indian  associations,  381. 
International  committee— titles  and 

organization,  38.  46,  428. 
International  conventions :    Albany, 

1866,  44,  47,  392:  Boston,  1864,  43  ; 

Buffalo,  1854,  37,  392  ;  Montreal, 

1856,  47  ;  Philadelphia,  186.5,  43  ; 

1889,  57  ;  Portland,  1869,  48. 
Introduction  of  association  work  into 

America,  36. 
Langdon,  Wm.  Chauncy,  36. 
Moody,  D.  L.,  61,  370. 
Nasmith,  David.  34. 
Origin   of   the   present   association 

movement,  26. 
Outgrowths  of  the  associations  61. 
Paris  conference  and  basis,  18,  29,  37, 

47. 
Periodicals  and  publications,  45,  50, 

58. 
Potter,  Henry  C,  42. 
Railroad  work.  49.  51. 
Secular  work,  early  introduction  of, 

269. 
Shipton,  Wm.  Edwyn,  28. 
State    and   provincial  work,   begin- 
nings of  the.  392. 
Stevens,  Abel,  47. 
Test  of  active  membership.  47. 
United  States  christian  commission, 

40,  43, 
Wesley,  John.  33. 
Williams,  George,  26. 
Work  for  voung    men  previous  to 

1844,  SO. 
Work  for  young    men  ns.   general 

work,  59. 
Historical  library,  58,  144. 
Holidays,  rooms  should  be  open  on, 

346. 
Home  gymnastics,  318. 


Incidental  expenses,  206. 

Income,  199. 

Incorporation,  68,  210, 

Indian  associations,  381. 

Information   and   relief   department, 

103,  348,  samples  Nos.  46-56. 
Inquirers,   245,  248,  261,  267,  samples 

Nos.  34-36. 
Instructors,  evening  class,  292. 
Insurance.  217. 
International  committee : 

Advisory  members,  429. 

Composition,  428. 

Corresponding  members,  429. 

Election,  428. 


International  committee— continued. 
Finances,  435. 
Headquarters,  428. 
Historical  items,  38,  46,  428. 
Legal  status,  428. 
Meetings,  428. 
Publications,  58,  228,  431 . 
Secretaries,  434. 
Sub-committees,  428. 
Trustees,  429. 

International  publications,  58,  228,431. 

International  work,  see  American  in- 
ternational work. 

Intervisitation,  94,  427. 

Invitation  card,  reception  committee, 
342,  sample  No.  42. 

Invitation  committee,  257,  267,  380. 


Janitor  128.  167.  179. 


Kitchen,  167. 


Ladies  toilet  room,  165. 

Lavatory,  105. 

Leases,  214,  217. 

Lecture  room,  165. 

Lectures  and  talks,  295.1 

Letters  of  introduction,  146,  182, 423. 

Librai-y  and  librarian  : 

Advertising,  288. 

Apartments,  165,  167,  280. 

Association  publications,  148. 

Book-keeping,  280. 

Book  reception,  288. 

Boys'  department,  363. 

Librarian,   qualifications,   etc.,    157, 
283. 

Reference  and  lending,  279. 

Selecting  and  buying  books,  285. 

Usefulness,  etc.,  279. 

Ways  and  means,  287. 

What  to  read— aid  in  selecting,  152, 
279,  284,  291. 
Life  members,  72,  :05. 
Literary  exercises,  75,  121. 
Literary  societies,  79,  293,  .363. 
Local    association — relations    to    the 

general  work,  395,  399,  425,  432. 
London  association — references  to.  29, 

36,  269. 
Lumbermen,  work  among,  385. 


M 
Map  of  the  association  field,  398. 
Mechan  ical  and  manufacturing  classes, 

108,  277.  278,  285,  379. 


I\DKX. 


Meetings  •. 

Annual,  75. 

Association — monthlj  or  quarterly, 
85,  118. 

Business,  75. 

Board  of  directors,  85. 

Board  of  trustees,  212. 

Canvassers,  109,  187. 

Committee,  94. 

Members,  118. 

Reception  committee,  343. 

Religious,  255,  sample  No.  29. 

See  conventions,  district  work,  or- 
ganization. 

Membership  : 

Active  members  :  applications  to  be 
investigated,  72,  101,  lft>— devel- 
opment, why  and  how,  114,  258— 
notice  of  election,  sample  No.  1— 
qualifications,  privileges,  and 
duties,  47-49,  72,  105,  ^2,  333, 
344. 

Advertising  privileges,  107. 

Age  hmits,  106. 

Application  blanks,  107,  109.  samples 
Ncs.  3,  4. 

Associate  members  :  large  propor- 
tion in  chief  cities,  270— letter  to 
referee,  sample  No.  2— qualifica- 
tions, 72, 106 — received  by  general 
secretary,  106— relations,  117. 

Average  age,  106. 

Branches,  privileges  of  members  of, 
79. 

Classes,  72,  105— sub-division  of,  72. 

Committee  :  composition  and  organ- 
ization, 108— qualifications  and 
duties,  108,  109,  380— relations  to 
finance  committee,  101,  109,  204 
—report  blank.  109,  sample  No. 
22— sub- committee  on  applica- 
tions, 101. 

Conditions  vs.  terms,  105. 

Contributor  vs.  member,  72,  106. 

Definite  privileges,  110. 

Election,  72,  105,  sample  No.  1. 

Exchange  of  unexpired  tickets,  113. 

Fee,  72,  111,  199,  204,  207. 

Fees  due,  letters  about,  sample  No.  6. 

Forfeittu-e  of  ticket,  112. 

Hersey  membership  record  and  in- 
dex, 112.  113,  sample  No.  9. 

Life  members,  72,  105. 

Members'  meeting,  118. 

New  members,  110.  115. 

Permanency,  109,  114. 

Privileges  of  branch  members,  79. 

Records,   112. 

Register,  samples  Nos.  6,  9. 

Retention  of  members,  110. 

Report  form  for  committee,  sample 
No.  22. 

Samples,  Nos.  1-9. 

Securing  members,  IOC,  2Zi. 

Sub-division  of  classes  of,  72. 

Test  of  active  membership,  47-49,  72. 
75,  105. 

Ticket,  112.  sample  No.  8— forfeiture 
of,  112. 

Visitor's  ticket,  107,  sample  No.  5. 


Members'  meeting,  118— program  out- 
line, 121. 

Metropolitan  organization,  76. 

Missionary  meeting,  258,  264. 

Music,  175,  223,  257,  260,  262,  263,  344, 
347,  406,  410,  417,  418. 


Newspapers,  local,  107,  140,  182,  183, 
186,  223,  227,  407,  414. 

Non-association  territory,  work  in,423. 

Non-English-speaking  men,  work  for, 
381. 

Notice  of  election  to  active  member- 
ship, sample  No.  1. 


Office  cash  book,  207,  sample  No.  15. 
Officers  of  the  association  : 

How  chosen,  73,  85. 

In  small  towns,  74. 

Vacancies,  73. 
Order  of  business,  85,  420. 
Organization  : 

District,  418. 

International.  428. 

Local— practical  hints,  G9— when  and 
where,  66. 

State  and  provincial.  891. 
Outgrowths  of  the  associations,  61. 
Outings,  327.  364. 
Outline  of  study,  156. 


Paid  lecture  courses,  dangers  of,  295. 

Paris  basis,  18,  47. 

Parlor,  1C7,  343. 

Parlor  conferences,  186,  224,  404,  "415, 

sample  No.  33. 
Pass  books,  205. 
Pastors,  20.  67,  69,  82,  131,  132,  145,146, 

186,  189,  227,  266,  342,  416-418,  423- 

425,  sample  No.  35. 
Pentathlon,  330. 
Periodical  liook,  277. 
Periodicals,  indexes  to,  286. 
Periodicals,  selection  and  care  of,  275, 

see  reading  room. 
Personal  purity,  103,  258,  267,  298,  334. 
Personal  work,  107,  121,  246.  257,  305, 

333.  378,  samples  Nos.  34,  35.  57, 

see  inquirers. 
Petty  cash  expenditures,  206. 
Physical  department : 
Aims.  297, 

All-round  men,  271,  306,  319,  a32. 
Approach  to  gymnasium,  312. 


INDEX. 


Social  department — continued. 

Statistics,  342. 

Straugeis''  reception,  346. 

Usliers,  103. 
Soldiers  and  sailors,  work  among,  266, 

383. 
Soliciting  funds— principles  and  meth- 
ods, 74,  79,  95,  201,  223,  225. 
Speakers  and  speaking,  222,  259,  405. 
Special  charters,  210. 
Special  classes,  work  for,  366. 
Special  evangelistic  meetings,  265. 
Standing  committees,  74,  90. 
State   and  international  reports,  228, 
432. 

State  and  provincial  work  :  391. 

Constitution  for   state   association, 
394. 

Delegates,  see  conventions. 

District  work,  418. 

Endowment  fund,  400. 

Finance,  398,  408,  421,  423. 

Growth  and  organization,  391. 

Local  associations  and  the  general 
work,  425. 

Map  of  association  field.  398. 

Records  and  statistics,  396,  397. 

Reports— state  and  provincial,  396. 

Representation,  see  conventions. 

Standing  sub-committees,  397. 

State  association,  394. 

State  committee,  395. 

State  convention,  403. 

State  ccuvention  program,  404. 

State  secretary,  400. 

Work  in    non-association   territoiy, 
423. 
State  association,  394. 
State  committee,  395. 
State  convention,  see  conventions. 
State  secretary,  400. 
Statistical  desk  pad,  220,  sample  No.  30- 
Statistical  records,   219,  samples  Nos. 

27-31. 
Store  room,  166. 
Student  summer  schools,  370. 
Sub-organizations,  79. 
Subscriptions,  cards    and  books,   184, 

199-204,  sample  No.  13. 
Suburban  work,  146,  425. 
Sunday-opening  and  use  of  rooms,  275. 
Sustaining  membership,  200. 
Swimming  bath,  165,  315. 
Systematic  giving,  199,  435. 


Taxes,  216. 

Temperance  work,  103,  258,  264. 
Test  of  active  membership,  47-49,  72> 
75,  105. 


Tickets,  membership,  112,  sample  No.  8. 

Toilet  room,  165. 

Topics  for  bible    and   training    class 

study,  239,  244,  250. 
Topics  for  religious  meetings,  258. 
Training  of  employees,  154. 
Training  classes,  60,  116,  236,  248,  362, 

368. 
Training  schools,  156. 
Tramps  and  loungers,  274. 
Treasurer  : 
All  funds  to  pass  through  his  hands, 

205. 
Cash  book,  207,  sample  No.  16. 
Ex-ofiflcio  member  of  finance  com- 
mittee, 88. 
Pay  bills  only  upon  approval,  74,  88, 

205. 
Qualifications  and  duties,  88. 
Report,  88,  209,  samples  Nos.  20,  21. 
Treasury  warrant,  205,  208,  sample  No. 

14. 
Trustees,  74,  191,  308,  211. 


U 

Unexpired  memberships,  exchange  of, 

113. 
U.  S.  christian  commission,  40,  43. 
University  extension,  291. 
Ushers,  103,  257,  410,  417. 


Vacancies,  73. 

Ventilation,  170,  179,  256,  262,  274,  311, 

314. 
Visiting  the  sick,  353,  sample  No.  66. 
Visitors'  register,  343. 
Visitor's  ticket,  107,  sample  No.  5. 


W 

Watchman,  the,  see  Young  Men's  Era. 

Ways  and  means,  see  finance  commit- 
tee. 

Week  of  prayer,  see  day  and  week  of 
prayer. 

Wishard,  L.  D.,  tour  of,  370,  447. 

Women's  committee  rules,  sample  No- 
58. 

Women's  work  for  young  men.  122,  128, 
187,  346,  347,  387,  410,  417. 

Workers'  record,  sample  No.  34. 


INDEX. 


Workers'  training  class,  see  training 

class. 
Work  in  non-association  territory,  423 
Work  for  boys,  see  boys'  department. ' 
World's  conferences  and  committee : 

Badge,  443. 

Buildings,  exhibit  of— Paris,  1889, 446. 

Central  international  committee,  444. 
447. 

Conferences,  442— Berlin,  1884,  445— 
Geneva,  1878,  443— London,  1881, 
444— Paris,  1885,  442— Stockholm, 
1888,  446. 

Cook,  Jean  Paul,  441. 

General  secretary  of  central  inter- 
national committee,  444. 

Geneva  resolutions,  443. 

Headquarters,  443. 

Historical  items,  441. 

International  information  agency, 
445. 

Missionary  correspondence.  446. 

Missionary  tour  of  L.  D.  Wishard, 
447. 

Rules  and  by-laws,  proposed  codifl- 
•ation  of,  446, 


Year  book,  432. 

Young  men's  christian  association  : 
A  definite  work— for  and  by  yotm? 

men,  16,  255. 
Benefits— how  obtain  record  of,  222, 

sample  No.  32. 
Distinctively  religious,  17. 
Historical  items,  see  H. 
Interdenominational,  why,  15. 
Means  employed  in  cities,  summary 

of,  22. 
Means   employed   in    small   towns, 

summary  of,  24.  . 
Relation  to  the  church,  18,  61,   see 

church,  relations,  etc. 
Why  needed,  15. 
Young  Men's  Era,  132,  148,  225,  328. 
Young  men's  meeting,  255. 
Young  men's   meeting  —  circular    to 

committee,  sample  No.  37. 
Yoke  fellows,  103. 

Young  converts'  record,  sample  No,  36. 
Young  men— facts  and  statistics,  14, 17, 


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